Iran

Iran’s Energy Chokepoint: Why Kharg Island Puts Tehran at Risk

Iran, Iran Energy / Leave a Comment /

Despite decades of sanctions, military threats, and strategic warnings, nearly all of Iran’s oil exports still flow through a single island—and one of the world’s most volatile maritime chokepoints. As regional tensions escalate, this dependency has become one of the Islamic Republic’s most dangerous structural liabilities. Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has warned that any future conflict will […]

Iran’s Energy Chokepoint: Why Kharg Island Puts Tehran at Risk Read More »

pexels-photo-35416117-35416117.jpg

Why Iran may not afford to close the Strait of Hormuz

Arabic World, Iran, Iran Energy, World / Leave a Comment /

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 »

How Israeli technology could help solve Iran’s water crisis

Iran, Iran Energy / Leave a Comment /

By Joseph Epstein and Dalga Khatinoglu Iran is facing a water emergency that hydrologists and environmental experts warn may now be irreversible. Major reservoirs are depleted, groundwater reserves are collapsing, and senior officials are openly warning of citizens rationing water and even evacuating the capital due to water shortages. While the crisis is often attributed to drought or

How Israeli technology could help solve Iran’s water crisis Read More »

Why Iran’s Economy Is Irreparable Under the Islamic Republic

Iran, Iran economy / Leave a Comment /

Iranians face deepening and severe financial crises, a reality that has fueled nationwide protests and to which the Islamic Republic’s security forces have responded with bloody repression, killing up to 20,000 civilians. Against this backdrop, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei stated on January 17, 2026, in remarks that reflect a misunderstanding of economic fundamentals, that “government

Why Iran’s Economy Is Irreparable Under the Islamic Republic Read More »

pexels-photo-35416117-35416117.jpg

Iran’s energy trade defies year of US maximum pressure sanctions

Iran, Iran Energy / Leave a Comment /

One year after US President Donald Trump returned to the White House and revived the “maximum pressure” sanctions on Iran from his first term, available data show the country’s energy exports remain largely intact. Data from the commodity intelligence firm Kpler, seen by Iran International, show that in 2025 Iran delivered an average of 1.38

Iran’s energy trade defies year of US maximum pressure sanctions Read More »

How Trump’s secondary tariffs could hurt Tehran

Iran, Iran economy, World / Leave a Comment /

A 25 percent tariff on US imports from any country that trades with Iran appears aimed at punishing third countries, but it is likely to hit Tehran far harder. The proposed secondary tariffs were announced by President Donald Trump earlier this week in response to a violent crackdown on protesters in Iran. Some commentators have

How Trump’s secondary tariffs could hurt Tehran Read More »

Why Arab States Are Trying to Prevent a U.S. Attack on Iran

Arabic World, Iran, Iran Energy / Leave a Comment /

Amid growing speculation about a possible U.S. military strike on Iranian targets—triggered by the horrific killing of thousands of protesters by Iran’s security forces—American news media report that Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Oman are lobbying Washington to prevent military action against Iran. Oman’s foreign minister visited Tehran on January 10, 2026, at the height of the protests, just two

Why Arab States Are Trying to Prevent a U.S. Attack on Iran Read More »

Iran: The $145 Billion Exit Wound

Iran, Iran economy / Leave a Comment /

Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has dismissed the latest protests as the work of ‘vandals’ seeking to ‘please the U.S. president’. He insists the Islamic Republic ‘will not back down’. While unconfirmed reports suggest he may have a contingency plan to flee should security forces falter, a more firmly documented exodus is already underway —

Iran: The $145 Billion Exit Wound Read More »

Its Allies’ Falls Continue the Destruction of Iran’s Financial Capital

Iran, Iran economy, World / Leave a Comment /

Venezuela’s multibillion-dollar debts to Iran have fallen into uncertainty following the arrest of Nicolás Maduro—an ally of the Islamic Republic—by the United States. Some former Iranian officials and members of parliament have cited debts of between $2 billion and $4 billion that Venezuela owed to Iran. The likely default by Venezuela comes after the December 2024 collapse

Its Allies’ Falls Continue the Destruction of Iran’s Financial Capital Read More »

It’s the economy: grim livelihoods explain Iranian anger

Iran, Iran economy, Iran Energy / Leave a Comment /

The fate of the Iranian economy is increasingly shaping debates about the country’s future—one that may prove decisive regardless of how its current political struggles unfold. Public frustration over rising living costs has once again spilled into protests across the country, shining a harsh light on how state resources are allocated and managed. As demonstrations

It’s the economy: grim livelihoods explain Iranian anger Read More »