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Iran mobilizing one million soldiers to ‘create hell’ for any US ground assault: Report

The Cradle | March 27, 2026

Iran is mobilizing one million soldiers to repel any potential ground invasion launched by the US army against the Islamic Republic, an Iranian military source told Tasnim News Agency on 26 March.

“With the growing speculation about the possibility of a historical folly by the US in launching a ground invasion on the southern front of Iran, a wave of enthusiasm has emerged among Iranian ground fighters to create a historical hell for the Americans on Iranian soil,” the source said.

The source added that “in addition to organizing more than one million fighters for ground combat, in recent days there has been a massive influx of requests from Iranian youth directed towards the centers of Basij, the IRGC, and the Army to also participate in this battle.”

“The US wants to open the Strait of Hormuz with suicide and self-destructive tactics; that’s fine. We are ready for both their suicide strategy to be executed and for the Strait to remain closed,” the source went on to say.

On the same day, Axios reported – citing US officials – that Washington was preparing options for a “final blow” in the Iran war, involving ground forces and massive bombing.

The options include invading Kharg Island, where the majority of Iran’s oil exports are processed.

Others include seizing the island of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb (controlled by Iran but claimed by the UAE), as well as blocking or seizing ships exporting Iranian oil on the eastern side of the Strait of Hormuz.

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the Pentagon is considering sending another 10,000 troops to the region.

“We’re waiting for them,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told a western news show host earlier this month after being asked if Tehran was “afraid” of a ground invasion.

The foreign minister added that Iran has prepared a “disaster” for US ground troops who enter the country.

Sources familiar with US intelligence told CNN on 25 March that Iranian forces have been fortifying Kharg Island and “laying traps” in anticipation of a US decision to launch a ground assault.

“Iran has been laying traps and moving additional military personnel and air defenses to Kharg Island in recent weeks in preparation for a possible US operation to take control of the island,” the sources said.

“There would be significant risks involved in such a ground operation,” the sources added, including “a large number of US casualties.”

March 27, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Iran mobilizing one million soldiers to ‘create hell’ for any US ground assault: Report

More Iran War fallout: Maritime insurance industry shifts from London to China

Inside China Business | March 26, 2026

China and Hong Kong comprise the most valuable fleets of commercial ships in the world, and the largest numbers of bulk carriers, container ships, and tankers. Japan, Korea, and Singapore also have huge investments in global shipping. But European and American insurance brokers underwrite 90% of maritime insurance in the world, and on the first day of the war against Iran canceled insurance coverage on vessels already in contested waters. Hong Kong now writes insurance coverage for ships from Mainland China and Hong Kong, even those transiting the Persian Gulf. What’s more, Iranian authorities are clearing China-flagged vessels to pass safely. 

Resources and links:

Top 10 shipowner countries/regions in the world https://vesselslink.com/blogs/news/to…

Hong Kong marine insurers gain edge over London with cheaper war-risk cover for Chinese ships https://www.scmp.com/business/banking…

Insurance Clubs to Halt Ship War-Risk Cover in Persian Gulf https://www.claimsjournal.com/news/na…

Insurance Clubs to Halt Ship War-Risk Cover in Persian Gulf https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl…

Traffic is trickling through Strait of Hormuz: Who’s moving and who’s stranded https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/18/hormu…

March 26, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Wars for Israel | , | Comments Off on More Iran War fallout: Maritime insurance industry shifts from London to China

US-Israeli aggression on Iran triggers review of GCC countries’ investment pledges to Washington

Press TV – March 26, 2026

As the US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran enters its fifth week, the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are reassessing massive overseas investment commitments, particularly those directed toward the United States, amid severe economic fallout from Iran’s retaliatory strikes against US bases in the region and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

The war was initiated by Washington and Tel Aviv’s unprovoked aerial aggression against Iran late last month. The conflict has sent shockwaves through the Persian Gulf region, choking off vital oil and gas revenues that underpin GCC economies and forcing sovereign wealth funds to prioritize domestic needs over foreign pledges.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly touted eye-popping investment deals with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar — totaling trillions of dollars — as the cornerstone of his economic vision for the United States.

These pledges, secured during high-profile trips and announcements, were meant to fuel American tech startups, investment firms, defense contractors, and major businesses.

However, sources familiar with internal discussions indicate growing alarm in the Trump administration that GCC allies may be unable to deliver on these promises as the war exacts a heavy toll, Politico reported on Thursday.

“What has really concerned observers is that Persian Gulf states have signaled they are only weeks away from potentially repatriating tens of billions of dollars in US-based investments to address urgent domestic and defensive requirements,” one source noted.

Such moves would prove highly destabilizing to Washington’s plans, limiting capital flows at a time when US markets are already facing uncertainty.

The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran has drastically curtailed revenue for GCC financial institutions, while Iran’s precision strikes on critical infrastructure, energy facilities, and high-profile sites in places like Dubai and Doha have halted tourism and disrupted economic activity.

The Persian Gulf’s role as a hub for global capital has been severely compromised by the US and Israeli war of aggression that began on February 28, which included the assassinations of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, along with several senior officials and military commanders, as well as hundreds of civilians.

The Iranian armed forces have responded by launching almost daily missile and drone operations targeting locations in the Israeli-occupied territories as well as US military bases and assets across the Persian Gulf region.

They have also blocked the strategic Strait of Hormuz to oil and gas tankers affiliated with the adversaries and those cooperating with them.

A senior executive at an asset management firm with substantial Persian Gulf backing stated that companies are now seeking capital alternatives outside the region due to the ongoing disruptions.

Economists and analysts, including Adnan Mazarei, a former deputy director at the International Monetary Fund, have long questioned the realism of these Arab pledges to the US.

“Those pledges are now becoming harder to deliver on,” he observed, especially as countries must allocate resources to restore missile defenses and repair war-damaged sites.

Iran’s legitimate defensive responses to the unprovoked aggression, including strikes on US-linked targets and restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, have compounded challenges for Persian Gulf economies already strained by prior spending sprees.

March 26, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on US-Israeli aggression on Iran triggers review of GCC countries’ investment pledges to Washington

Pakistan ramps up food exports to Persian Gulf nations as war deepens food insecurity

The Cradle | March 26, 2026

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instructed authorities to speed up exports of surplus food to Persian Gulf states on 26 March, as disruptions caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran and Tehran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz strain regional supply routes and increase food security concerns.

“It is our duty to take care of the needs of food in the Gulf countries amid the current regional situation where global supply lines are affected,” Sharif said, according to a Prime Minister’s Office handout.

Sharif chaired a high-level meeting to review export plans, instructing officials to ensure domestic supply remains stable while scaling shipments abroad, and calling for expanded flight operations and improved port efficiency to respond to what officials described as an evolving regional situation.

Authorities approved 40 food items for export, including rice, edible oil, sugar, meat, poultry, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables.

Open sea and air routes are being used, with reduced transport costs and no additional export charges on key food categories.

Iran has taken de facto control of the Strait of Hormuz following the start of the US-Israeli war on the nation, severely restricting maritime traffic and allowing only coordinated or approved vessels to pass.

Under this system, Tehran grants access to “friendly” states such as Pakistan, China, India, Russia, Iraq, Bangladesh, Turkiye, Thailand, and Japan, while blocking US- and Israeli-linked vessels, and in some cases imposing transit fees reaching $2 million to some, while granting waivers to allied or negotiated ships.

Pakistan is treated as a “non-hostile” partner, with its vessels granted passage through coordination and security clearance rather than fees imposed.

Thailand recently secured free passage for an oil tanker after direct coordination with Tehran. The Islamic Republic stated that “non-hostile vessels” may transit and affirmed that “Friends have a special place.”

Gulf states heavily reliant on the waterway, including the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar, face mounting risks of supply shortages and price increases.

Pakistan has emerged as one of the few countries able to navigate the strait, recently sending a Pakistan-flagged vessel carrying crude through the corridor, elevating Islamabad’s role as both a supplier and a potential intermediary in the war.

Pakistan is facing its own internal strain, with fuel shortages triggering austerity measures aimed at easing pressure on domestic supplies, including reduced work schedules and temporary school closures.

Officials said coordination with Gulf countries is ongoing, with exporter databases established and business-to-business engagements underway.

Sharif warned that delays in execution would not be tolerated, stressing continuous monitoring of domestic supply and demand.

Pakistan’s approach reflects a balancing act between domestic stability, regional demand, and its ties with both Iran and Gulf partners as supply chains remain under pressure.

March 26, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Wars for Israel | , | Comments Off on Pakistan ramps up food exports to Persian Gulf nations as war deepens food insecurity

Iran submits response to US plan, sets terms for war’s end: Tasnim

Al Mayadeen | March 26, 2026

An informed source told Tasnim on Thursday that Iran has delivered its response to a 15-point proposal put forward by the United States, transmitting its position through intermediaries on Wednesday night. Tehran is now awaiting a reply.

According to the source, Iran’s response sets out a series of conditions tied to any potential end to the war. These include an immediate halt to assassination operations, the establishment of binding guarantees to prevent a renewed aggression, and the provision of clearly defined compensation and reparations. The response also calls for a comprehensive cessation of hostilities across all fronts, extending to all resistance groups involved in the confrontation throughout the region.

The source further stressed that Iran considers its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz to be a natural and legal right that will remain in place. This control, the source indicated, is viewed as a mechanism to ensure the implementation of any commitments made by the other side and must be formally acknowledged.

These positions, the source added, are separate from the demands previously raised during the second round of nuclear negotiations held in Geneva shortly before the US-Israeli war that began in February.

The source also cast doubt on Washington’s stated intentions regarding negotiations, describing them as part of a “third deception” effort. According to the source, the United States is pursuing multiple objectives under the cover of diplomacy: presenting a peaceful image to the international community, maintaining lower global oil prices, and gaining time to prepare for further military aggressions, including a potential ground operation in southern Iran.

Reflecting on previous engagements, the source said Iran now holds “complete doubts” about the United States’ willingness to negotiate in good faith. The source argued that both during the 12-day war in June 2025 and the current war, the United States initiated hostilities while talks were ongoing, suggesting that renewed diplomatic efforts may similarly serve as a pretext for further escalation. Analysts suggest that there is no need to call on Iran to admit a certain reality, if, as suggested, it was already a reality in the first place.

War exposes US limits

Iran’s response comes as the war on the country enters its fourth week, after the United States and “Israel” launched coordinated attacks targeting the country’s leadership, civilian infrastructure, and military capabilities, prompting sustained Iranian retaliatory operations across the region.

The consequences of this aggression have extended far beyond the battlefield. Disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery through which roughly a fifth of global oil and LNG supplies pass, have not only sent shockwaves through energy markets but also exposed the limits of US power in the region.

Despite its military presence, Washington has struggled to secure a chokepoint central to the global economy following its aggression, while Iran has shown it can impose costs that reverberate through oil prices, inflation, financial markets, and allied capitals, undermining the image of a US-led order able to guarantee stability.

Amid these developments, the United States has been working at countering Iran’s retaliation following the aggression and shaping the war’s outcome on terms favorable to Washington to no avail.

Tehran has categorically rejected negotiating under such conditions. Iranian officials say recent US proposals, including a reported multi-point plan conveyed through intermediaries, are unrealistic and designed to force strategic concessions while the war continues.

According to Tehran officials, Washington and “Israel”, having initiated the aggression, have no standing to dictate its conclusion. Authorities insist the war will end only on Iran’s terms, including a full cessation of aggression, guarantees against renewed attacks, and recognition of Iran’s sovereignty.

Trump threatens Iran

On Wednesday, the White House openly threatened further escalation against Iran, warning that the US is prepared to intensify its attacks unless Tehran accepts Washington’s terms.

“The President’s preference is always peace. There does not need to be any more death and destruction. But if Iran fails to accept the reality of the current moment, if they fail to understand that they have been defeated militarily … President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before,” Leavitt told reporters.

Iran’s continued retaliatory strikes, however, contradicts Washington’s claim of “defeat,” with officials announcing the 82nd wave of retaliatory strikes targeting US and Israeli assets across the region, thus indicating that Tehran’s operational capacity remains intact.

March 26, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Iran submits response to US plan, sets terms for war’s end: Tasnim

US vs Iran: Kharg Island Talk — Bluff or Escalation? Ex-Military Officer Weighs In

Yellow sulphur, a byproduct of petrochemical refinement, contrasts with the blue sea at Kharg Island, Iran.
Sputnik – 26.03.2026

“An operation towards Kharg Island might happen, but it might as well be a smokescreen or a way for the US to put pressure on Iran,” ex-Swedish army officer and defense politician Mikael Valtersson tells Sputnik, commenting on reports about a possible US ground operation against the Islamic Republic.

News outlets earlier reported that the Pentagon was preparing to send about 2,000 soldiers from the US army’s 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East.

“This might be an attempt to pressure Iran towards negotiations,” Valtersson points out.

“The problem with such a strategy is that Iran knows that Trump is desperate to get lower oil prices and a better world, especially the US economy,” Valtersson says, adding that “therefore such an attack is unlikely, since the loss of Iranian oil export and a potential long-term loss of oil production in the Gulf States after retaliatory strikes from Iran would worsen the energy crisis both in the short and long term.”

He notes that all talk about an attack on Kharg Island might also be a smokescreen and an attempt to divert Iranian defensive capabilities from the Strait of Hormuz, which is also very hard to achieve, since Iran has the capacity to defend both areas simultaneously. “And at the same time, it is also very hard to move Iranian military assets without getting them destroyed by US or Israeli air power,” he pointed out.

“One thing is sure, it wouldn’t do anything to open the Hormuz strait. It would of course hit Iranian oil exports if US forces took control of Kharg, but that would also increase oil prices even more,” the former Swedish army officer points out.

In conclusion, he suggests that the most likely scenario is the United States attempting to ramp up pressure on Iran. In doing so, it underestimates Iranian capabilities and, in effect, prepares for a highly risky military operation—one that could ultimately result in both a military and a media defeat for the US. “Even a tactical victory on the ground would probably result in a strategic failure for the United States,” Valterson maintains.

March 26, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , | Comments Off on US vs Iran: Kharg Island Talk — Bluff or Escalation? Ex-Military Officer Weighs In

Former Head Of MI6 Admits That The U.S. And Israel Are Losing The Iran War

The Dissident | March 25, 2026

In an interview with the Economist, Alex Younger, the head of Britain’s MI6 from 2014 to 2020, admitted that Iran has the upper hand against the U.S. and Israel.

When asked, “Who has the upper hand right now, who is in a stronger position?”, Younger replied, “Iran”.

He went on to say “The reality is that the US underestimated the task and I think, as of about two weeks ago, lost the initiative to Iran”.

He added, “The Iranian regime has been more resilient than I think anyone would have expected. They took some good decisions actually as early as last June about dispersing their military capability and delegating the authority for the use of those weapons which has given them significant extra resilience against this incredibly powerful air campaign.”

Younger went on to say, Iran has “embarked on what’s technically called horizontal escalation i.e., firing rockets at anybody within range,” adding that this has “been a very good way of putting indirect price on the US” and has “sort of worked”.

He also said that Iran, “understood the significance of the energy war and held the Strait (of Hormuz) at threat,” which he noted, “globalized the conflict in a way that gives them some weapons.”

He also added that Iran is fighting “a war of existence” while the U.S. is fighting “a war of choice,” noting that this “imbues them (Iran) with more staying power than their US counterparts and they know that now and I think that really is giving them the whip hand”.

Along with this he noted that, “Even with just 10% of its initial drone stocks”, Iran can, “hold the straits at threat because these are not military people, it’s not a military audience you have to satisfy, it is people who own oil tankers and captains of oil tankers and that really does give them the whip hand.”

He concluded that “the options for the US and Israel are pretty limited and not great”.

March 25, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Former Head Of MI6 Admits That The U.S. And Israel Are Losing The Iran War

Scattered Thoughts on War and Peace

By William Schryver | March 25, 2026

Gentlemen cry peace, peace. But there is no peace. The war has barely begun.

Though its position is untenable, the empire cannot slink away now.

As things stand, Iran et al. have won an overwhelming strategic victory. One that cannot be undone.

And everyone that matters in the world knows this to be true.

That said, a great many people have persuaded themselves that it is the mighty United States military that has achieved an overwhelming victory, and that the Iranians are an utterly “obliterated” foe.

And yet the Iranian missiles and drones keep their schedule, with only a fraction of the opposition they encountered in early March.

Israel — that vulnerable speck of a country — is getting pounded. Hard.

US/Israel air defenses have been reduced to a skeleton shambles.

The impressive Iranian defeat of US/Israeli radar capabilities is arguably the single most notable development so far in this war.

Meanwhile, the count of American manned aircraft downed by “technical problems” continues to grow, and Iran is shooting down more cruise missiles than they did early on.

Speaking of skeleton shambles, all the US bases in the region have been systematically degraded — some more than most.

The US Fifth Fleet has been effectively evicted from the Persian Gulf, and they won’t be coming back.

The USS Poopy Gerry, flagship of the US Navy, has now managed to limp back to Souda Bay to tally the damages, and determine whether or not she can make it all the way back to Norfolk without some tug boats standing by.

Watch and see: they’ll boldly claim they will have her “ready for action” in 18 months or so. But they won’t. And sometime in about 2030, an obscure Pentagon press release will announce that the star-crossed USS Gerald R. Ford, CVN-78, will be decommissioned, purchased by Baron Trump, and turned into a dockside casino.

Anyway, the Americans are convinced the Iranians are an easy mark to fall yet again for the “negotiation sneak attack” gambit.

I think it’s more likely the Iranians are worried the Americans will “chicken out” of their proclaimed intention to use “boots on the ground” to subdue Iran and achieve full control over the Strait of Hormuz.

I think the Iranians would like nothing more than for the US military to attempt a 10k soldier amphibious / airborne attack somewhere along the Iranian coastline — probably in conjunction with a half-dozen special forces raids at various “high-value” targets.

In any case, as two amphibious ready groups (4400 Marines) and an 82nd Airborne brigade combat team (3000 light infantry) continue to advance on the theater of battle, Washington is apparently going to send the mythically competent erstwhile invisible Vice President, the redoubtable young Achilles, JD Vance.

My sense is that Vance’s mission is an inherently disingenuous token gesture.

Vance will state the inherently unacceptable American terms; the Iranians will state theirs. Both sides will glare menacingly at each other, and fly back home.

The Iranians will continue to control Hormuz and launch drones and missiles throughout the region.

US troops will arrive on the scene, and barring some unlikely epiphany of reason, the Pentagon will launch an amphibious / airborne attack that will end in blood and ashes.

At least this is the trajectory of events as I currently perceive them to be.

Things could still go from bad to worse.

March 25, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Scattered Thoughts on War and Peace

Iran Threatens to Close Red Sea to Shipping in Response to Invasion

By Kyle Anzalone | The Libertarian Institute | March 25, 2026

If the US invades Iran, Tehran will act through its allies in Yemen to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

“If the enemy wants to take action on land in the Iranian islands or anywhere else in our lands or to inflict costs on Iran with naval movements in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of ​​Oman,” an Iranian military official told the semi-official Tasnim News Agency. “We will open other fronts for them as a surprise so that their action will not only be of no benefit to them but will also double their costs.”

“The Bab al-Mandab Strait is considered one of the world’s strategic straits, and Iran has both the will and the ability to create a completely credible threat against it.” The official continued, “Therefore, if the Americans want to think of a solution for the Strait of Hormuz with stupid measures, they should be careful not to add another strait to their problems and predicaments.”

Northern Yemen is controlled by Ansar Allah, who are allied with Iran. So far, Sanaa has not intervened in the war that is raging across the Middle East.

Ansar Allah has proven the military capability to close the Red Sea to shipping and also to fight the American military. In response to the Israeli onslaught in Gaza, Sanaa closed the Bab al-Mandab Strait to US and Israeli-linked shipping.

Both Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump attempted to break the blockade with massive bombing campaigns in Yemen. However, Ansar Allad was able to maintain the blockade while attacking Israel and US warships in the region with missiles and drones.

If Ansar Allah elects to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait, it will add to the global economic crisis that was caused by the US and Israeli war against Iran. Since the surprise attack by the US and Israel on February 28, Tehran has significantly limited shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian threat comes as the US is moving forces to the Middle East that could be involved in ground operations inside Iran.

March 25, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Iran Threatens to Close Red Sea to Shipping in Response to Invasion

Iran in excellent position to prevail in war with US, Israel: John Mearsheimer

Press TV – March 25,2026

Senior political scientist John Mearsheimer says Iran has a good chance of dominating the ongoing war with the United States and Israel given the way the Islamic Republic controls the economic repercussions of the conflict.

Speaking to Piers Morgan Uncensored, Mearsheimer said the US and Israel failed to achieve their objectives in the aggression on Iran, which was to decapitate the government and force Iranians to submit to their demands in the first two or three days of the war.

He said, however, that the war has continued for nearly a month and the Iranians are now in a better position to dictate their demands since they control the flow of oil and other energy products from the Persian Gulf to other parts of the world.

“What’s happened here is that we did not achieve a quick and decisive victory and we are now in a long war, a war of attrition, and that’s a war that the Iranians prepared for and that’s a war that the Iranians are in an excellent position to prevail in,” Mearsheimer said.

He said if the United States decides to further escalate the aggression, it could face devastating responses from Iran that affect not only regional countries and American bases they host but also the entire international economy.

“They have the ability to go up the escalation ladder and tank the international economy.”

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, said on March 24 that he was considering holding talks with Iran to end the ongoing confrontation which many believe has put him in a very precarious position.

That comes as he has repeatedly claimed victory since launching the joint aggression with Israel against Iran on February 28.

Iran has yet to accept the US request for negotiations as authorities have indicated that the country will continue its reprisal attacks on US and Israeli positions while controlling the flow of oil in the Persian Gulf to ultimately punish the aggressors.

March 25, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Iran in excellent position to prevail in war with US, Israel: John Mearsheimer

Iran warns US: Do not call your retreat an agreement

Press TV – March 25, 2026

Spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari, says the strategic power that the enemy boasted about has “turned into a strategic defeat.”

“If the self-proclaimed superpower of the world could have escaped this predicament, it would have done so by now. Do not call your defeat an agreement,” he said on Wednesday.

This comes as US President Donald Trump backed away from his 48-hour ultimatum to strike Iran’s power plants after the Islamic Republic warned that all energy and power installations in the region would be targeted in retaliation.

Trump claimed in a post on his Truth Social media platform that the US and Iran have had “very good and constructive conversations over the past two days regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in [West Asia].”

A source familiar with internal discussions in Tehran said Monday that there has been no official contact between Tehran and Washington.

“The era of your promises is over. Today, there are only two fronts in the world: truth and falsehood. And every freedom-seeking pursuer of truth will not be deceived by your media waves,” Zolfaqari said.

The spokesman further questioned the extent of internal divisions among enemies, asking sarcastically, “Has the level of your infighting reached the point of negotiating with yourselves?”

Zolfaqari also delivered a stark assessment of regional economic prospects, asserting that neither past levels of US investments in the region nor previous energy and oil prices would return.

“Stability in the region is ensured by the powerful hand of our armed forces,” the spokesman said. “Stability through [our] power.”

He also made clear that no previous state of affairs would return unless “the very thought of taking [military] action against the Iranian nation is completely erased from your vile minds.”

“Our first and last word from day one has been, is, and will be: someone like us will not come to terms with someone like you—not now, and not ever,” he further said.

March 25, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Iran warns US: Do not call your retreat an agreement

Neighbors first – Moscow signals shift in energy strategy

RT | March 25, 2026

Russia plans to prioritize energy exports to neighboring countries deemed less exposed to global disruptions, Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev has said.

Recent US-Israeli strikes on Iran and Tehran’s response have shaken global oil and liquefied natural gas markets, disrupting supplies from the Persian Gulf and casting uncertainty over future production.

”The entire world will have to reevaluate supply chains and reassess risks,” Tsivilev told reporters on Wednesday. While Russia’s own exports have not been directly impacted by the Middle East crisis, the country will still adjust its strategy, he added.

“We will prioritize energy deliveries to our closest neighbors, with whom we share land borders and face fewer risks,” the minister said. “We will also reconsider the logistics of oil transportation.”

Shift away from ‘unreliable’ EU

Russia has long favored stable, long-term energy contracts, particularly through pipeline infrastructure, which historically underpinned its gas exports to Western Europe – even during the Cold War.

The European Union, however, has pushed for spot-market pricing, arguing that flexibility outweighs the risks of volatility. This disagreement contributed to tensions even before the bloc declared it would phase out Russian oil and gas imports following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022.

Moscow has since labeled European buyers as unreliable and has been redirecting its long-term energy strategy toward Asian partners, especially neighboring China.

Bad timing for snubbing Russian oil

Western countries backing Kiev have sought to curb Russia’s energy revenues, including through measures such as a price cap on its oil exports. Moscow has responded by rerouting shipments via what critics have claimed is a ‘shadow fleet’ of tankers.

Ukraine has also targeted Russian oil and gas infrastructure and vessels suspected of carrying Russian hydrocarbons, including in international waters – which Moscow calls Western-enabled piracy.

The energy price shock caused by the Iran war is prompting neutral nations that previously accommodated the Western agenda to reconsider their approach.

On Tuesday, the Philippines, a traditional US ally, received its first shipment of Russian crude in years, local media reported. Around 100,000 tons of oil were delivered from the port of Kozmino, the export terminal of the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean pipeline system. The fuel is intended for a refinery in Bataan province.

March 25, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Russophobia, Wars for Israel | , , , , , , | Comments Off on Neighbors first – Moscow signals shift in energy strategy

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