







Iranian and U.S. officials reportedly met separately with mediators Monday to push for a ceasefire, as Middle Eastern crude exports rebounded to war-time high.
A War for Oil: Economist Michael Hudson on U.S. Quest to Control the World's Oil Trade
Asia scrambles to confront energy crisis unleashed by Iran war – with no end in sight
From fuel caps to four-day work weeks, the Middle East conflict has left the world’s top crude oil importing region desperate to shore up supplies

Trump denies willingness to give Iran sanctions relief in exchange for nuke concessions
US and Iranian officials speak separately with Qatari mediators on amended Iranian proposal that includes end to hostilities in Israeli-occupied south Lebanon, after Trump nixed earlier version

Seven Months In, Iran and the US Actually Talked. The Oil Market Believed It.
Seventh piece in a series that started with Mokha falling on 09-11. Previous: The Strait Fell, and Riyadh Called Washington → Both Banks, and Now Iran's Own...

The Ceasefire's Gone, the Talks Are Gone, and Nobody Agrees on the Tanker
Fifth piece in a series that started with Mokha falling on 09-11. Previous: The Strait Fell, and Riyadh Called Washington → Both Banks, and Now Iran's Own...

Saudi Arabia, UAE urge Trump to maintain pressure on Iran - WSJ
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are urging Washington to maintain sanctions and its naval blockade of Iran, complicating efforts to restart peace talks as attacks threaten their oil exports, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Truth, Consequences, Climate, and Demand Destruction
"This is how the attack by one petro-state (ours) on another (Iran's) may be turning out to be very bad for petroleum, because the only thing history loves more than a surprise party is irony." The Crisis The biggest news is always the climate news, and sometimes it's so big

Iran: UN experts alarmed by renewed escalation of hostilities, call for accountability
GENEVA – UN experts* today expressed grave concern over reports of serious violations of international law arising from illegal military operations carried out by the United States and Israel in the Islamic Republic of Iran since 28 February 2026, as well as retaliatory Iranian strikes across the Gulf region against civilians and civilian infrastructure, including civilian shipping.

Trump’s Venezuela oil deal gives US access to vast reserves as Iran war drives energy concerns | The National
Agreement deepens US involvement in Venezuela’s oil industry as midterms approach and energy prices remain elevated

Isolated by Iran and Yemeni Houthi rebels, Saudi Arabia seeks US backing
With Tehran-allied rebels seizing control of the Bab al-Mandab Strait between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean on Thursday, and Iran blocking the Strait of Hormuz, the kingdom is at risk of losing all maritime access for its oil tankers.
Iran: UN Fact-Finding Mission calls for immediate cessation of hostilities after deadly US airstrikes hit civilians
GENEVA – The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran today urged all parties to the ongoing regional conflict to abide strictly by international law and cease hostilities, following a series of deadly US airstrikes in southern Iran. The strikes, which hit a wedding celebration and a residential home, killed and injured civilian families, including women and children, from already marginalised minority communities.

Miscellanea: The War in Iran
This post is a set of my observations on the current war in Iran and my thoughts on the broader strategic implications. I am not, of course, an expert on the region nor do I have access to any spec…

Trump gifts Saudi Arabia a nuclear win | Politics Weekly America
Donald Trump has announced a landmark nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia while pressing ahead with efforts to stop Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. What’s driving Trump’s new agreement with Riyadh? And how is it likely to be received at home and across the Gulf?

Trump rejects Iran's conditional ceasefire proposal, WSJ reports, as Saudi coalition intercepts projectiles
Trump expects renewed U.S. bombing of Iran after the midterm elections, The Wall Street Journal reports, as Saudi-backed forces intercept projectiles.

Exclusive: Ukraine, Russia are done with Steve Witkoff. Trump sees no problem
Kyiv and Moscow are growing increasingly frustrated with the U.S.-mediated peace process — and with Washington's Envoy Steve Witkoff, people familiar with the matter told the Kyiv Independent. Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who has emerged as a key peace negotiator, traveled to Russia and Ukraine in early September in an attempt to restart stalled negotiations. They left both countries with little to show for the effort. Behind the scenes, however, several separate efforts are
