Iran
MOSCOW BLOG: Pax Americana exposed as a paper tiger
Superficially the war in Iran has dealt Ukraine a huge blow. The White House is now completely distracted, and the Trump administration seems to have abandoned, or at least paused, the ceasefire negotiations with Russia.
UK convenes 35-nation summit to plot Hormuz reopening as Washington stays away
The UK convened 35 nations to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz after 23 attacks on commercial ships, with the US, Iran and Oman all absent and Trump telling allies to secure the waterway themselves.
Iran's largest steelmaker Mobarakeh halts all production after second strike
Iran's largest steelmaker Mobarakeh Steel halted all production and sent workers home after a second US-Israeli strike caused "fundamental destruction" to its Isfahan complex, crippling a key non-oil export sector.
Iran's NZ embassy fires back at Trump 'stone age' taunt with AI-generated mockery
Iran's NZ embassy mocked Trump's "stone age" threat with AI images of the US president as a caveman beside an ancient Persian king, the latest in a social media information war running alongside the military conflict.
Iran-linked hackers claim breach of Israeli air defence contractor PSK Wind
Iran-linked hackers Handala claimed to have breached Israeli air defence contractor PSK Wind Technologies and passed classified command and control data to resistance missile units, though the claims remain unverified.
Trump vows to bomb Iran 'back to the stone ages' in rambling primetime address
Trump's first primetime address on the Iran war drew fire from all sides after he vowed to bomb Iran "back to the stone ages," sent oil surging past $105 and admitted he no longer cares about Iran's buried uranium stockpile.
Cost of living shock deepens as energy crisis hits G7 spending – Oxford Economics
A surge in energy prices following the escalation of the Iran conflict is intensifying the cost-of-living crisis across the G7, dragging consumer spending growth to its weakest level since 2022.
A long Iran war will lead to severe shortages, says Oxford Economics
A sustained escalation of the US/Israel-Iran conflict could push global oil markets beyond a price shock into severe physical shortages, with rationing, supply chain disruption and recessionary pressures becoming increasingly likely.
Iran pushes ahead with solar and wind plants
Iran is building four solar plants and a wind farm targeting 100MW as the war batters the power grid, with the first phase due online by July 2026 amid repeated strikes on electricity infrastructure.
Is Trump going to abandon the Iran war?
Is US President Donald Trump the war in Iran? Having failed to meet any of his as yet unstated objectives trump is clearly frustrated and contemplating giving up on an unwinnable war.
UK's Starmer convenes military planners to secure Strait of Hormuz after fighting ends
UK PM Starmer announced military planners would draw up options to secure the Strait of Hormuz after the war, saying "this is not our war" but its economic impact on Britain demands action on Gulf maritime security.
Iranian cruise missile strikes oil tanker in Qatari waters
An Iranian cruise missile struck an oil tanker leased to Qatar Energy in Qatari waters on April 1 after two others were intercepted, escalating Tehran's targeting of Gulf energy assets as the war enters its second month.
Iran, Yemen's Houthis and Hezbollah launch joint missile strike on Israel
Yemen's Houthis said they launched a joint ballistic missile strike with Iran and Hezbollah on southern Israel, the third coordinated operation as the "axis of resistance" formalises wartime military cooperation.
Japan’s LNG diversification will not shield it against global price spikes
Diversified supply portfolios and crude oil-indexed contracts, do not shield Japanese buyers as is claimed. Approaching week six of the war in Iran, Japan remains fully exposed to Middle East supply disruptions.
ASIA BLOG: China wins while Iran burns
The world needs a stable Asia – East and West – and would be better served by the removal of the current Iranian regime. Only in the removal of said regime will Beijing be forced back into a more constrained, less opportunistic global role.
China and Pakistan issue five-point peace plan for Gulf and Middle East
China and Pakistan issued a five-point peace plan on March 31 calling for an immediate ceasefire and reopening of Hormuz, though the plan's omission of the US and Israel by name and questions over Beijing's credibility as a guarantor may limit its im
IRGC threatens to strike US tech companies in retaliation for assassinations
Iran's IRGC named 18 US tech and AI firms including Google, Microsoft, Palantir and G42 as targets for retaliation
Italy secretly blocked US from using Sicily base for Iran strikes
Italy secretly blocked the US from using its Sigonella air base in Sicily for Iran strikes after jets were already airborne, the second NATO ally after Spain to refuse Washington access for the war.
COMMENT: An Iran embargo won't send oil to $200
A chorus of analysts and traders have spent recent weeks warning that oil prices will spike. But market is foward-looking and has already priced in the worst case. $200 oil won't happen.
Iranian missile debris damages buildings near Ukrainian embassy in Tel Aviv
Iranian missile debris landed near the Ukrainian embassy in Tel Aviv on March 31, injuring six and damaging vehicles and buildings as Iran maintains daily strikes on Israeli territory a month into the war.