Hawzah News Agency- a full naval blockade of Iranian ports. Tehran’s response was swift and smart: closing the Strait of Hormuz to all foreign shipping. As a result, 20% of the world’s oil and LNG is stuck, oil prices have surged, and now America faces a wall of political and economic costs.
Iranian oil is priced between $90 and $100 per barrel, and exports have not stopped — only routes have changed. Iran has 200 million barrels of floating oil storage near China as a financial cushion. This means Tehran is not only not bankrupt, but is turning the crisis into a source of revenue.
Trump thought he could send the US fleet to the Persian Gulf and Europeans would line up behind him. But the reality is different:
Britain and Spain have explicitly refused to join the blockade.
Russia and China have called it "piracy" and a violation of international law.
The European Union fears the effects on inflation and energy supply and has distanced itself from Washington.
Donald Trump legally has only 60 days to continue a foreign war without congressional approval.
Adam Erlich, senior Middle East analyst for Al Jazeera, says the key sentence:
"Iran’s ability to withstand economic isolation is far greater than Trump’s patience and the American people’s''.
The last round of talks in Islamabad ended in complete failure. Trump’s deputy’s trip to Pakistan was canceled, and there is no sign of resuming diplomacy. Al Jazeera concludes: "Both sides are preparing for a long game, but the winning card is in the hands of whoever endures longer. So far in this game, Iran has snatched the patience advantage from America''.
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