Ziad Daoud

There is a strong risk that Iran will not end up not like Cuba or Syria, but instead like North Korea—a garrison state that survives by becoming more dangerous, not less, writes @hahellyer. foreignpolicy.com/2026/03/31/ira…

This article compiles a list of the energy facilities hit in the Iran war Refineries, oil fields, gas facilities, nuclear sites, aluminium plants, ports Across: Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi, UAE bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Iran is exempting Iraq from Hormuz shipping restrictions • Good for Iraq: exporting oil at $100+ helps its finances • Good for the global economy: 3 million barrels a day could be back online • But: shipping companies must risk sailing through Hormuz bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

IMPORTANT: Someone is impersonating me on WhatsApp, messaging from a UK number and asking for information/sharing links that they are asking people to click on. That is not me. Do not click on the links.

5 things that happened this week: After 5 weeks of the Iran war, oil futures are closer to $100 than $200 • Pre-war: $72 per barrel • Week 1: $93 • Week 2: $103 • Week 3: $112 • Week 4: $113 • Week 5: $109 1/5 bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

The war isn’t going well for the US • Iran shot down one fighter jet; a second crashed in the Gulf • No clear path to reopen the Strait of Hormuz • Defense Secretary asked Army Chief of Staff to step down 5/5 bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Trump gave a speech on Iran, markets expected de-escalation, but didn’t get it • He pledged 2-3 weeks of strikes • No concrete plan to reopen Hormuz • No breakthrough to ending the war 4/5 bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Iran is controlling Hormuz, and making money from it • Only friendly states get through • Transit fee of $1 per oil barrel • Payment in yuan or crypto 3/5 bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

A few ships crossed Hormuz, including • A French container ship, the first from Western Europe • A Japanese gas tanker, also a first • 2 Omani oil tankers, each carrying 2 million barrels of crude 2/5 bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

@YacoubAlKhder Not clear

@ZiadMDaoud With toll or no toll?

"A container ship signaling French ownership has exited the Strait of Hormuz, in what appears to be the first known transit by a vessel linked to Western Europe since the Iran war all but shuttered the vital waterway" bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

US: "Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has asked Army Chief of Staff General Randy George to step down, according to Pentagon officials, a move that comes after President Donald Trump warned of military escalation against Iran" bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Let's go to the tape.

3 tankers exited Hormuz • 2 oil tankers, each carrying 2 million barrels of crude • 1 empty gas carrier • All broadcasting Omani flags bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

The Iran war impact on Egypt: • Before the war: $32 billion in hot money (Citibank estimates) • Now: $18-$20 billion (EFG Hermes estimates) • ~$12 billion in outflows have sent the pound to a record low: 54 per dollar bloomberg.com/news/articles/…