Monday, March 09, 2026

Middle East Oil Crisis: What Is America's Real 'Endgame' in Iran?

The war in Iran is already sending shockwaves far beyond the battlefield. Stock markets are sinking, Brent crude has jumped above $100 a barrel, and G7 governments are considering tapping emergency reserves to steady the markets. Missiles landing close to critical Gulf energy infrastructure have sharpened fears that what began as a regional confrontation could tip the global economy into something far more dangerous.

The real question is whether this crisis can be contained, and if not, how vulnerable our economies really are - how fast could the world’s energy system start to break apart, and who would feel the pain first?

In today's episode of the Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Guy Laron, author of Oil Wars: The Struggle for Control That Has Shaped the Modern World and Bernard Haykel, Professor of Near Eastern Studies.