Afkār is a publication of the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, providing short-form analyses, insights, and perspectives on regional issues and developments from the Council's experts and outside contributors. Afkār is published in English and Arabic, and is edited by Omar H. Rahman.
As the U.S.-Iran war flares again, commercial transit at the world’s most strategic maritime chokepoint is obstructed once more. Have alternative routes proven successful enough to offset the disruption?
The wars since October 7 have reshaped battlefronts and shifted power across the Middle East. Iran and Israel have confronted each other directly, bearing military, political, and economic costs, while Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have avoided this cycle of attrition and made relative gains.
Understandings between Washington and Tehran, in the form currently on the table, are unlikely to resolve the underlying tensions or bring stability to the region.