Has Iran Overplayed Its Hand?
Has Iran overplayed its hand with its hardball ceasefire negotiations in Pakistan, stalling a settlement of the Iran War and delaying a smooth reopening of the Strait of Hormuz?
The longer the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, the more global oil traffic is shifting. Here, we see global maps showing the newly emerging trade patterns. Two key, primary routes are now in play: More ships are traveling through the Red Sea and entering the Mediterranean via the Suez Canal. And more ships are traveling to Texas and Louisiana to pick up oil in the Gulf of America (formerly Gulf of Mexico).
So it looks as if the Middle Eastern oil nations, like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have turned away from the Strait of Hormuz, and are using the Suez Canal to reach Europe. Meanwhile, ships in the Western Hemisphere, as well as more Asian ships, are now traversing the Gulf of America, tapping into American, Mexican and Venezuelan oil.
The longer Iran delays a ceasefire settlement, the higher the likelihood that Iran will become irrelevant. Iran could be left to face more chronic and potentially catastrophic economic collapse. Here’s more from Langley Outdoors Academy.
