Tag: #StraitOfHormuz

Diplomacy, Geopolitics

China issues pivotal step in Hormuz traffic

Colin Henderson

Bloomberg CSaturday’s announcement — just weeks before a long-awaited meeting between President Donald Trump and his counterpart Xi Jinping later this month — signals a far more aggressive stance. Beijing has now directed companies not to abide by US sanctions on private refiners linked to the Iranian oil trade, including heavyweight Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refinery Co. which was sanctioned last month. Beijing’s move will test the US sanctions system at a time when it’s already under pressure, as Washington vacillates on curbs against Russia, Venezuela and Iran. With Trump’s war against Iran straining its global alliances, China has seized the … Continue reading China issues pivotal step in Hormuz traffic

Diplomacy, Economics, Geopolitics

Morning Briefing — Tuesday, April 28, 2026 · 07:30 EST · 1,280 words

Colin Henderson

Today’s environment is dominated by the Hormuz diplomatic standoff — Iran floated a novel proposal that moves the nuclear question downstream, and Washington immediately signalled it won’t bite. That diplomatic chill is rippling outward: markets fell in Asia, the NPT Review Conference opened in New York under extraordinary tension, and Germany’s chancellor delivered the sharpest European rebuke of the war to date. Structural stress across the Iran/US/Europe triangle is the defining thread; Canada-CUSMA and AI regulation provide secondary but meaningful signal. 1. What Changed Iran offers Hormuz-first deal; Washington coldIran transmitted a proposal via Pakistan: reopen the Strait, end the … Continue reading Morning Briefing — Tuesday, April 28, 2026 · 07:30 EST · 1,280 words

Geopolitics

Morning Briefing — Monday, 13 April 2026 · 08:15 EST · 1,280 words

Colin Henderson

The dominant story today is the collapse of US-Iran talks in Islamabad and Trump’s immediate announcement of a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, effective 10:00 AM ET this morning. The ceasefire is nominally intact but under acute strain — the IRGC has already threatened a “harsh and decisive” response to any military approach to the strait. Compounding an already volatile news environment: Orbán’s defeat in Hungary yesterday represents the most significant structural shift in European democratic alignment since Poland’s 2023 election. Markets are reacting badly. Today is more dangerous than yesterday. 1. What Changed Iran-US: Islamabad Talks Collapse, … Continue reading Morning Briefing — Monday, 13 April 2026 · 08:15 EST · 1,280 words