Monday , April 20 2026
  • My New Book

    US Energy Diplomacy in the Caspian Sea Basin: Changing Trends Since2001 - Available on Springer

  • My New Book

    US Energy Diplomacy in the Caspian Sea Basin: Changing Trends Since2001 - Available on Amazon

Recent Articles

Iran’s Energy Sector Facing Structural Economic Strain

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 …

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Why the Iran-Israel War Matters for the World’s Helium Supply

A QatarEnergy headquarters.Shutterstock

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 …

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Iran’s War on Gulf State Energy Infrastructure Reverberates Beyond Oil and Gas

A refinery for oil and petrochemicals.Shutterstock

Even Limited Damage Can Force Shutdowns, Suspend Exports, and Trigger Panic Across Energy Markets The Gulf Cooperation Council states—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—long have sustained global energy stability. As the conflict with Iran expands, it directly threatens Persian Gulf oil and gas infrastructure and …

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Escalation in the Middle East: What Comes Next – Opinion

In late February 2026, the United States and Israel launched a major military campaign against Iran in response to what both governments described as pending security threats, including concerns related to Tehran’s nuclear program and missile capabilities. The operation involved a series of coordinated airstrikes targeting Iranian military and strategic …

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Is Iran Heading to State Failure?

The image of an Iranian rial on cracked asphalt.Shutterstock

The Regime May Still Hold the Center, but Holding the Center Is Not the Same as Maintaining State Capacity The February 28, 2026, U.S. and Israeli air strikes have not yet ended the Islamic Republic, but they have weakened the Iranian state’s ability to govern. State failure does not begin …

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Will Qatar Maintain Its Liquefied Natural Gas Edge After an Iran War?

A liquified natural gas tanker and tugs sail to the terminal.Shutterstock

Doha Converted Gas Revenue Into Global Influence and Marketed Itself as the Supplier That Delivers Even During Turbulence Qatar reads Iran-U.S. tensions through the blunt logic of self-preservation. Doha worries less about “regional instability” than about losing the conditions that let it build an liquefied natural gas empire with limited regional contestation. …

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