Iran Sits on the Fourth Largest Proven Oil Reserves in the World
Iran sits on approximately 208.6 billion barrels of proven crude oil reserves, placing it among the top four holders on the planet and accounting for…
The Belt and Road Initiative’s Central Asian Route Runs Through Iranian Territory
Yes, the Belt and Road Initiative’s Central Asian route runs directly through Iranian territory, and recent developments have made this connection more…
China Loses Its Most Important Energy Corridor Through Iran to the Persian Gulf
China has effectively lost its most important energy corridor through Iran to the Persian Gulf. The joint U.S.
Russia Loses a Strategic Buffer on Its Southern Flank If Iran’s Government Collapses
If Iran’s government collapses under the weight of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military campaign, Russia loses one of its last remaining strategic buffers on…
The Caspian Sea Region Becomes More Unstable Without a Functioning Iranian Government
The Caspian Sea region is becoming measurably more dangerous because Iran’s government has effectively ceased to function as a coherent state actor.
Central Asian Countries Including Turkmenistan Share Borders With Iran
Of the five Central Asian countries — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan — only Turkmenistan shares a direct land border…
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia Could All Be Destabilized by Events in Iran
The U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, now entering their third week as of mid-March 2026, have thrown the entire South Caucasus into a state of acute…
The Regional Instability From Iran’s Collapse Would Be Felt Across a Dozen Countries
If Iran’s government were to collapse — whether through internal revolution, economic implosion, or external pressure — the fallout would not stay within…
Iran Could Become a Conduit for Weapons and Fighters Moving in Every Direction
Iran has spent decades building itself into one of the most effective weapons and fighter conduits in the modern Middle East, and the consequences of that…
Turkey Shares a Border With Iran That Has Been Used for Smuggling for Centuries
Yes, Turkey shares a roughly 534-to-560-kilometer border with Iran, and it has been a corridor for smuggling — of goods, narcotics, and people — for…