Doron Peskin
In an effort to maintain the appearance of normalcy, Iranian oil minister Mohsen Paknejad made visits to the country's major oil and gas facilities on Saturday. His itinerary included the coastal city of Asaluyeh, a critical hub for Iran's energy sector, and Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, which serves as the main oil export terminal, responsible for 90% of Iran's oil exports.
The timing of these visits is noteworthy, especially as global media outlets are abuzz with discussions about the potential energy market impacts if Israel were to strike Iran’s facilities following last week's missile attack on Israel.
The world's concern is less about Iran's oil sector itself and more about how Iran might respond to an Israeli attack. While Iran's oil production is on the rebound, currently estimated at around 3.5 million barrels per day (about 4% of global demand), half of this is exported. Iran claims its oil export revenues last year were approximately $35 billion, crucial for sustaining its economy and funding its military and terror activities. However, skepticism is advised regarding the transparency of Iran's published data on its oil industry.
Should its oil facilities be attacked, Iran might retaliate by targeting the oil facilities of neighboring countries, disrupting the global oil market as it did in 2019 with Saudi Arabia.
Iran could also disrupt oil and gas supplies from these countries without firing a shot by attempting to close or mine the Strait of Hormuz. In such a case, the U.S. would likely intervene to keep the strait open. Since about a fifth of the world’s daily oil consumption passes through the Strait of Hormuz, any disruption would likely cause a significant, albeit temporary, spike in oil prices.
If Iran’s oil production is halted or damaged, China stands to lose the most. Currently, China is the main importer of Iranian oil, accounting for about 90% of Iran's exports, over 1.4 million barrels per day.
India, too, could face significant challenges if oil movement in the Gulf is disrupted. In recent years, India has reduced its oil imports from Iran due to international sanctions and a desire to maintain close U.S. relations. However, India's dependence on oil from the Middle East has only increased, with over 45% of its imports coming from the region. Any disruption in supply chains due to the Israeli-Iranian conflict could pose a temporary issue for India.
A year has passed since the brutal massacre. A year has passed since the raping of our people. A year of rockets. A year of missiles. A year of suffering. A year of being displaced in our country. A year of protests. A year of antisemitic rhetoric. A year in which the real war is actually against Iran. A year in which most of the free world proves, day after day, that it is not free.
The Iranian axis of evil has attacked Israel from Gaza, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq, Iran and Syria – and a significant part of the world has aligned with the dark and murderous forces. A year in which even the leaders of countries expected to lead the free world, who should oppose the axis of evil, are imposing arms embargoes on Israel.
The free world has gone mad. It is trapped by an industry of lies in which the axis of evil, imposing destruction, terror and devastation, is seen as just, and Israel as the problem. No more. We are reaching the moment of decision because no strike on Hamas or Hezbollah will help without striking Iran, the head of the snake. Now it is Israel’s turn to go crazy.
It must go crazy, not only for its own sake but for the sake of the free world. Because if the axis of evil emerges from this terrible battle unscathed, Israel is not the only one who will pay the price. Tens of millions in the Middle East will continue to suffer. The countries of the free world will pay a high price. It's already happening. The streets of London, Paris, New York and Madrid are filled with protesters who support the axis of evil.
Countless lecturers, most lecturers, stand on the side of the axis of evil. They justify the massacre. They accuse Israel of colonialism. They accuse Israel of genocide. They lie non-stop. They know, and certainly should know, that the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah openly declare that their goal is the annihilation of Jews and the conquest of all the free world to establish an Islamic caliphate.
However, they refuse to listen. For years they brainwashed their students. Now, these students identify with the ideology of Bin Laden and Nasrallah, the murderous ideology of Yahya Sinwar, and Ali Khamenei. They have turned campuses into outposts of the axis of evil.
This madness must end. Because tens of millions, including six million Jews, have already paid a heavy price for the madness of absolute evil. No more. This time, the situation is worse. The madness is not just from the axis of evil. The madness is being aided by the world that was supposed to be free.
This madness will not end if Israel continues to play by the rules, nor if Israel succumbs to the pressure of the free world, which is more concerned with oil prices than the threats to Israel's survival. Because in the game by the rules, the president of Iran can visit the UN and be received as an honored guest. But an international arrest warrant threatens the prime minister of Israel.
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