philip de vries

SPAIN REJECTS HORMUZ BLOCKADE THREAT Margarita Robles said a proposed Strait of Hormuz blockade “makes no sense,” criticizing escalating tensions in the Iran conflict. She called the war “senseless” and warned it is pulling the world into a broader crisis. Spain has been among Europe’s strongest critics of the U.S.–Israeli campaign and has previously restricted military cooperation with the U.S. amid the conflict.

BREAKING: Pistachio prices surge to an eight-year high amid supply disruptions in Iran.

وزير إماراتي: أصبح من غير الممكن التعايش مع النظام الإيراني باستمرار سلوكه تجاه المنطقة #العربية_عاجل

Iowa farmer: We've had this huge jump in fertilizer prices because of this conflict. With 30% of fertilizer coming through the Strait or Hormuz, we've only been in conflict for 12 days here, and our fertilizer costs have jumped 77%.

🇰🇼🇮🇷🇶🇦🇸🇦🇦🇪🇺🇸 There is a possibility that individual Gulf Arab states will eventually declare absolute neutrality, close their airspace—and likely make other concessions to Iran—and pay Iran what amounts to "Strait of Hormuz dues" (in the manner of Sound Dues to Denmark until 1857) in order to export their oil and gas by sea. This will amount to a major bribe, but the (financial) price tag will be less than a further escalation of the war or forgoing oil and gas exports for much longer. If/when Iran undertakes an all-out strike campaign against Gulf Arab oil and gas facilities, including the critically important maritime export terminals, the Gulf Arab states face economic ruin. Note that Ansarallah's Iranian-supplied strike munition arsenal has neither been committed to the fray nor been targeted by the United States and Israel. Hence, one should not obsess over how much of Iran's strike munitions arsenal has survived so far. To be determined.