Inzerillo to Asharq Al-Awsat: International Investors Eager to Invest in Diriyah

The CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) Jerry Inzerillo (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) Jerry Inzerillo (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Inzerillo to Asharq Al-Awsat: International Investors Eager to Invest in Diriyah

The CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) Jerry Inzerillo (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) Jerry Inzerillo (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA), Jerry Inzerillo, shared that the Future Investment Initiative (FII) forum in Saudi Arabia offered an excellent opportunity to engage with international investors and inspire their participation in significant projects scheduled for Diriyah, a UNESCO World Heritage site located in Riyadh.

The development project of Diriyah Gate costs $63.2 billion, making it one of the massive projects on the list of the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Moreover, this project is a key component of Saudi Arabia’s goals to become an attractive global tourist destination.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on the sidelines of the FII forum, Inzerillo emphasized that Diriyah is opening doors to investment opportunities for both foreign and domestic investors in various sectors, including hospitality, retail, and housing.

The projects encompass the construction of 42 hotels, 30,000 homes, 100 restaurants, and 500 retail stores to serve millions of tourists and thousands of permanent residents in the city.

Inzerillo also pointed out that the FII forum was a significant opportunity to meet investors from around the world and introduce them to the available opportunities in the city.

Many investors expressed their admiration for the diverse opportunities and promising projects the development of Diriyah holds.

Inzerillo also praised the support the project receives from both government and private entities in Saudi Arabia, including PIF and various ministries that have brought investors from all over the world to learn more about the project.

Most recently, a delegation consisting of 90 CEOs from financial companies in India, Hong Kong, and China visited the project.

Upon completion, the Diriyah project will encompass a range of cultural, entertainment, commercial, hotel, educational, institutional, and residential areas, including numerous hotels and a diverse array of museums and cultural institutions.



Iraq Says Iran Used Forged Iraqi Documents on Oil Tankers, Tehran Denies

FILE PHOTO: A gas flare on an oil production platform is seen alongside an Iranian flag in the Gulf July 25, 2005. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi//File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A gas flare on an oil production platform is seen alongside an Iranian flag in the Gulf July 25, 2005. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi//File Photo
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Iraq Says Iran Used Forged Iraqi Documents on Oil Tankers, Tehran Denies

FILE PHOTO: A gas flare on an oil production platform is seen alongside an Iranian flag in the Gulf July 25, 2005. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi//File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A gas flare on an oil production platform is seen alongside an Iranian flag in the Gulf July 25, 2005. REUTERS/Raheb Homavandi//File Photo

Iraq's oil minister Hayan Abdel-Ghani has said told state television that Iranian oil tankers stopped by US forces in the Gulf were using forged Iraqi documents.

US President Donald Trump's administration has restored his earlier "maximum pressure" policy on Iran, reviving a policy that seeks to isolate the country from the global economy and eliminate its oil export revenue in order to slow Tehran's development of a nuclear weapon.

"We received some verbal inquiries about oil tankers being detained in the Gulf by US naval forces carrying Iraqi shipping manifests," Abdel-Ghani said on state television late on Sunday, adding there had been no formal written communication.

"It turned out that these tankers were Iranian ... and were using forged Iraqi documents. We explained this to the relevant authorities with complete transparency and they also confirmed this."

Iran's oil ministry on Monday denied that Tehran had used forged official documents and said allegations that they had done so came from US officials, the ministry's Shana news agency reported.

"It's obvious that these allegations by US officials fold into the illegal... pressure on the nation of Iran and have no basis or credibility," Shana said.

Iran views neighbor and ally Iraq as vital to keeping its economy afloat while under sanctions. But Baghdad, a partner to both Washington and Tehran, is wary of being caught in the crosshairs of Trump's policy to squeeze Iran, sources have said.

Reuters reported in December that a sophisticated fuel oil smuggling network that experts believe generates at least $1 billion a year for Iran and its proxies has flourished in Iraq in the past few years, including by using forged documentation.

Abdel-Ghani said state marketer SOMO sold crude exclusively to companies that own refineries and does not supply trading firms.

"SOMO operates with full transparency and has committed no wrongdoing in the oil export process," he said.