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Riyadh International Industry Week 2025 Kicks off Monday

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
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Riyadh International Industry Week 2025 Kicks off Monday

The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat
The Saudi flag. Asharq Al-Awsat

Riyadh International Industry Week 2025 is set to launch on Monday, bringing together more than 524 exhibitors from 20 countries. The premier industrial event anticipates welcoming over 25,000 visitors, including industry specialists and key stakeholders, at the Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Centre (RICEC).

Running from May 12 to 15 and spanning over 20,000 square meters, Riyadh International Industry Week 2025 is expected to be the largest industrial gathering of its kind in the Middle East, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The event will showcase more than 48,000 cutting-edge industrial products and technologies, along with national pavilions representing seven major industrial nations.

The program includes panel sessions featuring insights from leading experts in manufacturing, supply chains, and digital transformation. Attendees can also look forward to live demonstrations of the latest industrial innovations and reviews of initiatives and enablers supporting the Kingdom’s growing industrial ecosystem.

Riyadh International Industry Week reflects the Kingdom's accelerating industrial advancement, highlights expanding investment opportunities in the sector, and promotes supply chain integration—all in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.

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US Involvement in Iran-Israel Conflict Raises Fears of Strait of Hormuz Closure

A general view of the Strait of Hormuz (Reuters)
A general view of the Strait of Hormuz (Reuters)
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US Involvement in Iran-Israel Conflict Raises Fears of Strait of Hormuz Closure

A general view of the Strait of Hormuz (Reuters)
A general view of the Strait of Hormuz (Reuters)

As the conflict between Iran and Israel intensifies, experts warn that direct US involvement could trigger a dangerous escalation, most notably, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy chokepoint.

If Iran were to follow through on this long-standing threat, the consequences would be severe, cutting off roughly 20% of the world’s oil exports and 30% of global natural gas shipments.

Russian strategic analyst Andrey Ontikov told Asharq Al-Awsat that fears remain real and growing, particularly if the war expands.

If the United States is drawn into the war alongside Israel, the likelihood of Iran moving to close the Strait of Hormuz becomes the most serious and effective threat, he said.

Ontikov explained that such a move would paralyze global energy flows from the Gulf, sending oil and gas prices soaring and inflicting major economic damage on both exporting and importing nations.

The resulting disruption would directly affect international shipping, raise transport and insurance costs, and cause energy prices to spike, further straining already fragile global supply chains, he added.

He also warned that broader geopolitical implications are at stake. A regional war involving the Strait of Hormuz could jeopardize key trade corridors, including China’s Belt and Road Initiative and Russia’s North-South transport corridor.

That would have a direct economic impact on both Beijing and Moscow, forcing countries to look urgently for alternative trade routes, Ontikov said.

Oil prices are already rising, though Ontikov believes that if tensions ease, the global economic impact could be contained. However, a prolonged or widened war would paint a far more troubling picture.

Saudi economic expert Dr. Ibrahim Alomar, head of Sharah Consulting, echoed these concerns.

“If the conflict stays limited, the effects may include a temporary $10–$20 increase in oil prices and limited disruption to financial and shipping markets,” he said. “But a broader war could push oil prices above $120, causing inflation and a sharp global economic slowdown.”

Alomar warned that in the worst-case scenario - where the Strait of Hormuz is fully closed - oil prices could skyrocket past $200, triggering hyperinflation, severe recession, and a collapse in global financial markets.

“Such a scenario could ultimately reshape the global economic system, depending on who emerges least damaged from the crisis,” he concluded.