The United States moved to impose a naval blockade on Iran just as the country’s oil exports were surging to their highest levels in years, underscoring Washington’s effort to halt a wartime boom in Tehran’s energy revenues. The move followed the collapse of negotiations in Pakistan and comes amid a war that has disrupted much […]
US blockade targets Iran oil boom amid regional disruption Read More »
The war pitting the United States and Israel against Iran is being fought across airspace and shipping lanes, but one of its most consequential economic effects may be unfolding elsewhere: the fragile commercial relationship between Tehran and the United Arab Emirates. A series of recent economic measures taken by the UAE following Iranian attacks on
War tests Iran’s Dubai trade lifeline Read More »
The Strait of Hormuz disruption, combined with targeted attacks on oil and gas infrastructure across the Persian Gulf, has placed regional economies under strain, raising the prospect of prolonged economic damage. Early estimates suggest that the loss of two of Qatar’s fourteen liquified natural gas trains has wiped out around 17 percent of the country’s annual liquefied
Iran’s Heavy Economic Toll on Gulf Arab States Read More »
hile Iran has effectively choked off oil exports by its Arab neighbors through the Strait of Hormuz, it has continued shipping its own crude largely uninterrupted. Since the start of joint US–Israeli strikes on February 28, Iran has targeted at least 16 vessels and tankers, sharply curbing flows through one of the world’s most critical
Iran shields its oil exports as Hormuz flows falter Read More »
Failure to restore shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is beginning to show what prolonged disruption could mean for global energy markets. Early volatility has been sharp but manageable, yet the longer the disruption lasts, the greater the risk that physical shortages—rather than price swings—will drive the crisis. In recent days, Iranian attacks have expanded
Hormuz disruption tests limits of global energy markets Read More »
The Israeli military has announced that it targeted fuel storage facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Tehran on March 7, 2026. Videos circulating online show massive flames and thick plumes of smoke rising from oil depots in Tehran and Karaj. Tehran Governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian said on March 8 that fuel supply
Attacks on Tehran’s Fuel Storage and Energy Infrastructure Will Have Consequences Read More »
Iran has shown it can disrupt regional energy flows. What remains far less clear is whether it can use that leverage to shape the outcome of the conflict in its favor. Over the past several days, Iranian missiles have targeted three oil tankers and several oil and gas facilities in neighboring countries while also obstructing
Iran’s oil weapon may rattle markets but not alter the war Read More »
After suffering U.S. and Israeli strikes on its military and senior officials, the Islamic Republic launched a missile and drone assault against Arab states along the Persian Gulf. Iranian forces launched roughly 1,500 drones and missiles at Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and even Oman as of March 3, 2026.
Attacking Gulf Arab States Was a Huge Mistake for Iran Read More »
While China’s overseas investment in Belt and Road Initiative projects surged by 62 percent last year compared to 2024, exceeding $85 billion, two sanctioned countries—Russia and Iran, which ironically consider themselves China’s most important partners—received almost none of these investments. A new report by the Green Finance & Development Center shows that the value of Chinese construction
China’s Foreign Investment Jumps as Beijing Bypasses Iran and Russia Read More »
ehran’s frequently invoked threat of closing the Strait of Hormuz may be far easier to signal than to carry out, not least because it would harm allied China more than the hostile West. For now, the threat is muted as Iran and the United States have returned to the negotiating table. But the shadow of
Why Iran may not afford to close the Strait of Hormuz Read More »
