Straits closed again . . .

The world's economy will find a way...

Actually the WSJ editorial board article is hard to ignore….every point is spot on. The only leverage that worked was the blockade. Take Kharg island, establish a 200 mile demilitarized corridor next to the Strait administered by the US and finally change the ME. Taking Kharg Island would demonstrate to the Iranian people that the regime has been defeated. Ninety percent of Iran’s crude exports originate in Kharg. Until it’s clear that Iran has been defeated regime change is a pipe dream.

The dream of changing the Iranian regime is a fantasy.

Iran is a religious theocracy that will just replace one regime with a carbon copy regime. Maybe one day Iran will not be religious, but it is not this day. Regime change belongs to the Iranian people. If they can't even unite against the current regime due to religious factions, that is not going to happen anytime soon.

But they are also a police state so knowing where the majority stand is hard. They can’t unite because people who do get killed. The notion of them rising without on the ground help was fatally flawed. Even the Kurds who are predominantly Sunni haven’t risen against the Shia majority. Twenty first century people with twelfth century beliefs

From chatting with many Iranians online, it seems the younger generation isn’t buying into the rhetoric promoted by the religious hardliners. Still, they endure quietly, knowing even a murmur of dissent can result in arrest, beatings, or execution. The regime maintains an ironclad grip with a vast, far-reaching infrastructure and has zero tolerance for opposition.

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You are being dismissive.

It's not only oil that's been impacted, it only starts there......what about Farmers who desperately need fertilser, the negative impact of that is that there'll be a shortage of food adding to its cost.

My pension fund has lost 15% and I've lost 20% on my stock market investments.

Several small businesses are struggling and several have closed up.

The poor are suffering even more, charities are not being supported.

In the meantime Trump's two sons have become overnight multi millionaires.....funny that one Huh?

"My pension fund has lost 15% and I've lost 20% on my stock market investments."

How on earth?

Do tell, what have you invested in to have lost 20% while these are the average annual returns on the US stock market?

1. 2021: +28.7%
2. 2022: ?18.1%
3. 2023: +26.3%
4. 2024: +25.0%
5. 2025: +17.9%
6. 2026 (year-to-date): Positive (around 8–10% as of late June).

Haha please do tell us what stocks you own. I need a good laugh.

I need a good laugh.

It's rather simple ButtPlum.....all you need to do is look in the mirror.

Still waiting for your response to my question........the one about your bi-sexuality

Remember???

"You are being dismissive.

It's not only oil that's been impacted, it only starts there......what about Farmers who desperately need fertilser, the negative impact of that is that there'll be a shortage of food adding to its cost."

"The Strait of Hormuz is approximately 1,750 square kilometers (676 square miles) in area. Given that the Earth's total surface area is about 510 million square kilometers, the strait constitutes roughly 0.0003% of the world's total area.

This calculation is based on the strait's dimensions of approximately 167 kilometers long and a width varying from 39 to 95 kilometers, making it a strategically vital but geographically tiny portion of the globe"

If access to vital resources which has a major influence on the economy of the world, are controlled by a rouge state like Iran, the world has a serious problem and it's totally rediculous that Israel and the US are the only 2 countries in the world trying to do something about it... totally rediculous that Iran has been getting away with this blackmail for close to 50 years... I'm starting to believe the conspiracy of a evil group of rich people controlling the world...how was this allowed to happen? Can't by by chance.

25% of the worlds oil and 35% of the worlds fertilizer are shipped through the strait of Hormuz, 0.0003% of the worlds area...and Iran are allowed to keep the world hostage by threatening terrorism on anyone using it if they don't get their way? And the whole wide world except for America and Israel is OK with it? If they get away with it now, what's next?

"According to 2024 official data from the World Bank, Iran's GDP represents 0.41 percent of the world economy. Other estimates for the same period place the figure at 0.43 percent, with nominal GDP valued at approximately $436.91 billion to $475 billion.

2024 Share: 0.41% – 0.43% of global GDP.

Historical Context: In 1960, Iran's share was significantly smaller at 0.31 percent.

2026 Projections: Trading Economics expects Iran's GDP to reach $425.99 billion by the end of 2026, which would maintain a similar relative share of the global economy depending on worldwide growth rates.."

Less than half a percent of the world's economy is holding the whole world hostage...and almost the whole globe seems to be content with leaving things the way they are... there's a much more sinister agenda at play here and Iran is just a pawn in a bigger game.

Never mind nuclear weapons, Iran can't be allowed pover over a quarter of the world's energy and more than a third of it's food security...this has to be stopped...thank God for Donald Trump.

Draad, if you were born Iranian, what would your position be?

You can only ever see things from your tribe mentality, much like the Muslims

There were no problems until your hero attacked Iran. If Iran had other means, perhaps it would use them.

The Strait is their Trump card. They have limited other options. No one supports them attacking another country, but they are in an existential threat. (E.g Trump has even threatened to nuke Iran). Destroy their civil energy, water, take them back to the stone age etc)

Do you suggest they just give up and allow Trump and the American consumer to take their oil?

Trump invaded Iran to try to limit the sale of oil to China. Much of America's international policies are geared towards reducing China's influence. Yes, China are cheating the global system, but they have not invaded countries (yet), or threatened to nuke a country, etc.

The Trumpanzees just don't get it, no matter how many times you try explain it to them.

They're still squeaking indignantly about the naughty Iranians and how they're blocking the Straits of Hormuz . . . as if it's anyone else's fault other than their clown hero Bozo.

The Straits weren't being blocked before Operation Epic Fail and the fact that Iran is now blocking them is 100% on Bozo, no-one else. Bozo was warned this would happen but the pathological liar is still saying things like "who knew they might do this?"

Iran can't compete from a military point of view so they're using the only leverage they have . . . and why wouldn't they? They're the ones who were attacked and they've got Bozo going apopleptic with rage because they don't want to deal. They know he's running out of time and they know he's going to get humiliated in the mid-terms if this continues They're in no hurry. They know Bozo's approval rating has gone through the floor and is still plunging.

This is all after Bozo tore up a perfectly good deal that allowed for inspections of Iran's nuclear capabilities and prevented them using enriched uranium for the production of weapons . . . but being a narcissistic fool, Bozo tore the deal up for the single reason that it was Obama's deal and not his. Now the incompetent buffoon is sending his equally incompetent son-in-law and his billionnaire real estate buddy to try and get an improved deal and he's getting all irate because they're getting their useless arses handed to them by Iran's negotiators.

The MOU that is on the table is far better for Iran than the original JCPOA deal and yet they're holding out for even more . . . because they have all the cards.

"This has to be stopped", the Trumpanzees bleat. Well, they should be asking themselves why it started in the first place. The Straits are only being blocked because of the short-sighted and poorly-planned actions of the clueless, self-serving and terminally stupid idol they worship. No other reason.

"Draad, if you were born Iranian, what would your position be?

You can only ever see things from your tribe mentality, much like the Muslims"

Nonsense, I don't care what they believe, but it's rediculous to allow less than .5% of the world economy to dictate the rest of the world's economy...and that threat has covertly been there for 45 years for every sensible person to see...Trump just exposed it for the fools too blind to see what's right before their eyes.

The penny still hasn't dropped. Were the Straits being blocked before Operation Epic Fail, Draad? Yes or No?

"Do you suggest they just give up and allow Trump and the American consumer to take their oil?"

No, America has enough oil of their own, but Iran, Russia and their other cronies are fcking up the oil markets to the benefit of China and some other direct competitors at the expense of the west, while taking advantage of western markets...

"The penny still hasn't dropped. Were the Straits being blocked before Operation Epic Fail, Draad? Yes or No?"

"

No, the Strait of Hormuz has never been truly closed prior to 2026, although Iran frequently threatened to do so and shipping was disrupted during past conflicts. The most significant instance of disruption before 2026 was the "Tanker War" in the 1980s, where Iran and Iraq attacked oil tankers during the Iran-Iraq War, prompting international naval forces to intervene and guarantee safe passage.

While Iran occasionally threatened to close the strait and undertook preparations to mine it in the decades leading up to 2026, the waterway remained open for extended periods despite Middle East conflicts. It was not until the 2026 Iran war that the strait faced a near-total closure due to Iranian blockades and military actions. "

The threat has always been there if they didn't get their way. They held the world at ransom until their bluff has been called...blackmail is blackmail, you only make things worse of you give into it...the problem was always their, just dorment.

If Iran had just closed the Strait for no reason, NATO would have reopened it.

Europe have some some military capabilities that the US does not, such as clearing mines out.

War must only be about self-defence. if Iran throws the first punch NATO would finish the fight/

Poor Donnie, led by Netanyahu, had no strategy beyond unleashing the world’s most powerful military on Iran, then, in desperation, offering a $300B golden handshake with extra perks, as the world cringes while Iran is playing him. With no off-ramp and no get-out-of-jail card, the midterms loom ahead. Who knows—chances are Iran will drag it out until then. I fear Iran will be an even bigger pain after the golden handshake, the dropping of sanctions and the unfreezing of Iran's much needed funds.

He knows that if he loses both houses the Dems will be coming after him, he also knows that he faces an unpleasant retirement behind bars. Desperate Donald is down to buying a deal so as not to end up behind bars.

And OBTW what happened to 'Iran is desperate for a deal'?????