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Middle East Time Zones

The Middle East spans 4 primary time zones from UTC+2 (Israel winter) to UTC+4 (UAE, Oman). Most of the region operates on fixed UTC offsets year-round — Turkey abandoned DST in 2016, and the Gulf states have never observed it. Iran is the notable exception, using a unique half-hour offset with seasonal adjustments.

Time Zones in the Middle East

Arabia Standard Time (AST)

UTC+3No DST

No DST

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen, Iraq

RiyadhJeddahDohaKuwait City

Gulf Standard Time (GST)

UTC+4No DST

No DST

UAE, Oman

DubaiAbu DhabiMuscat

Iran Standard Time (IRST)

UTC+3:30

UTC+4:30 in summer (IRDT)

Iran

TehranMashhadIsfahan

Turkey Time (TRT)

UTC+3No DST

No DST (abolished 2016)

Turkey

IstanbulAnkaraIzmir

Israel Standard / Daylight Time (IST/IDT)

UTC+2

UTC+3 in summer (IDT)

Israel

Tel AvivJerusalemHaifa

Daylight Saving Time in the Middle East

The Middle East has progressively moved away from daylight saving time. Turkey made the most dramatic change — in September 2016 it permanently set its clocks to UTC+3 and has not changed them since, aligning itself with Russia's western regions and the Arabian Peninsula rather than European time.

The Gulf states — Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman — have never observed DST. This stability makes the Gulf particularly reliable for global financial scheduling, as the offset to London and New York never changes.

Iran observes DST using the Iranian Solar Hijri calendar. Clocks advance at midnight on the first day of Farvardin (late March) and revert at midnight on the first day of Mehr (late September). Israel also observes DST, typically in sync with European schedules.

Cities in the Middle East

DubaiRiyadhTehranIstanbulTel AvivDohaKuwait CityAmmanBaghdadMuscat

Popular Comparisons

Dubai vs London →Riyadh vs New York →Istanbul vs Berlin →

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Turkey use daylight saving time?
No. Turkey permanently switched to UTC+3 (Turkey Time, TRT) in 2016, abolishing seasonal clock changes. Turkey no longer observes DST. This means Turkey stays on the same offset as Saudi Arabia and Iraq year-round.
What is the time difference between Dubai and the UK?
Dubai (GST, UTC+4) is 4 hours ahead of the UK in winter (GMT) and 3 hours ahead in summer (BST). The UAE does not observe DST, so the gap narrows by 1 hour when the UK clocks spring forward in late March.
Why does Iran use a half-hour offset?
Iran uses IRST (UTC+3:30) historically, a compromise between the time zones of its eastern and western borders. Iran also observes DST (IRDT, UTC+4:30) in summer, one of few countries with a half-hour DST shift. The transition dates follow the Iranian Solar Hijri calendar, typically late March to late September.
What time zone is Saudi Arabia in?
Saudi Arabia uses AST (Arabia Standard Time, UTC+3) with no daylight saving time. This is the same offset as Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Yemen, and Iraq, making intra-Gulf scheduling consistent.

Related

← All Time ZonesAfrican Time Zones →Asian Time Zones →DST Guide →Timezone Converter →