Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf’s rising influence increasingly reflects a Bonapartist adaptation towards centralised authority exercised by an insider promising order without structural reform The concept of “Ghalibaf and Bonapartism” has emerged as a useful analytical lens for understanding the Islamic Republic’s evolving power structure amid mounting domestic and international …

Saudi Vision 2030 deploys several policy instruments to reduce dependence on hydrocarbons. Central among them is the Public Investment Fund (PIF), which serves as the primary capital engine for diversification by investing in strategic sectors such as tourism, entertainment, mining, logistics, renewables, and advanced manufacturing. These investments are complemented by …

QatarEnergy’s force majeure declaration crystallises a broader shift in global energy markets toward fragmentation and securitisation. The disruption has intensified market tightness, driven price volatility, and exposed the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to geopolitical conflict QatarEnergy’s March 24 declaration of force majeure on parts of its long-term LNG contracts marks …

By Brian Spegele If President Trump follows through on his threat to attack Iranian power assets, the strikes would almost certainly target plants in the country that generate electricity from natural gas. Around 80% of power generation in Iran came from natural gas as of 2023, according to the International …

Iraq Has Not Reduced Output Due to Policy Decisions or Quotas—It Has Shut Down Production Because It Cannot Export On March 20, 2026, Iraq’s Oil Ministry declared force majeure on oilfields operated by foreign companies after disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz halted tanker traffic and blocked exports. The decision reflected a breakdown in …

If the conflict intensifies and Kharg’s export facilities become targets, the result could be a severe supply disruption that drives oil prices sharply higher and destabilises energy markets worldwide. In most wars, geography quietly shapes the outcome. In the escalating confrontation between Iran, Israel, and the United States, one small …

Disputes Between Baghdad and the Kurdistan Region May Limit Demand for Northern Iraqi Crude On March 17, 2026, Iraq’s federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government agreed to resume crude exports through the northern segment of the Iraq-Turkey Pipeline to Turkey’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. By March 18, shipments had commenced, with …

The crisis has shifted from a logistical bottleneck to a structural supply shock, with far more severe implications for global energy stability On March 18, Israel struck Iran’s South Pars gas field and the onshore processing hub at Asaluyeh in Bushehr province, marking a major escalation in the conflict begun by the …

Iran’s hydrocarbon sector, which holds the world’s fourth-largest oil reserves and second-largest natural gas reserves, remains structurally significant to global energy markets. However, it is increasingly constrained by domestic macroeconomic pressures and external trade frictions. As of early 2026, rapid currency depreciation, persistently high inflation, recurring gas shortages, and episodic …

Helium Is Vital to Semiconductor Manufacturing, Aerospace Industries, and Medical Infrastructure Such as MRI Scanners An overlooked consequence of the U.S. and Israeli conflict with Iran is the shock to global helium trade. While headlines have focused on oil price spikes and liquefied natural gas disruptions, helium extracted as a byproduct of …