Washington Times- this feels like stock market manipulation

But, who knows?

The U.S. and Iran are expected to announce the finalization of a draft proposal of a peace deal to end the fighting on all fronts by Sunday afternoon, a source close to the negotiations told The Washington Times.

A draft proposal was agreed to early Saturday and expected to be announced within 24 hours, the source said.

Top negotiators, including Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalifbaf, Vice President J.D. Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, have approved the draft.

The draft version of the peace deal has been sent to leaders of both nations for final approval.

If successful, the deal would transform what has been a fragile six-week truce into a permanent peace, even as Mr. Trump has hinted fresh strikes would be possible.

_ Issued a couple of hours ago…US Embassy Kiev

Location: Ukraine, all districts

Event:The U.S. embassy in Kyiv has received information concerning a potentially significant air attack that may occur at any time over the next 24 hours. The embassy, as always, recommends U.S. citizens be prepared to immediately shelter in the event an air alert is announced.

The intentional strike on the school in Russian territory…. May be a factor in the warnings issued by the US Embassy

At least 18 people have been killed and dozens more – most of them students – have been injured in what President Vladimir Putin has described as a deliberate Ukrainian “terrorist attack” on a school dormitory in Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic.

The attack on the main academic building and dormitory of the Starobelsk Professional College, which teaches students aged 14 to 18, was carried out in three waves, with 16 drones launched at the same target by the “neo-Nazi regime in Kiev,” according to Putin

Undoubtedly Starlink played a role..

See below a report I’d done in 2014 at my censored site

OR,

And Many Others..

BBC

President Donald Trump says the US will send an extra 5,000 troops to Poland, a week after the Pentagon cancelled a planned deployment of 4,000 troops to the country.

So, at least 9000 “regular” troops stationed in Poland

BNN Bloomberg

BEIJING — Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their high-level strategic ties and growing energy trade as they met in Beijing Wednesday only days after a visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to China.

Putin and Xi oversaw the signing of more than 40 cooperation agreements in areas such as trade, technology and media exchanges. They stressed their growing trade ties, particularly in oil and natural gas, and declared themselves aligned on international relations.

The countries’ ties have reached “the highest level in history,” Xi said after the signing ceremony, speaking to members of the delegations and journalists. The two sides also agreed to extend a friendship treaty first signed in 2001.

Putin told those in the room that “the driving force behind economic cooperation is Russian-Chinese collaboration in the energy sector.”

Amid the crisis in the Middle East, Russia continues to maintain its role as a reliable supplier of resources, while China remains a responsible consumer of these resources,” Putin added.

Xi stressed the need for a “complete cessation of hostilities” in the Middle East, according to Chinese state media.

“An early end to the conflict will help reduce disruptions to energy supply stability, the smooth flow of industrial and supply chains, and international trade order,” Xi said.

A growing trade relationship

China became Russia’s top trading partner after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Beijing has said it is neutral in the conflict while maintaining trade ties with the Kremlin despite economic and financial sanctions by the U.S. and Europe.

China is also the top customer for Russian oil and gas supplies, and Moscow expects the war in Iran to increase the demand. There was no visible progress, ( could have been progress, we don’t know) however, on the prospective Power of Siberia 2 natural gas pipeline that Russia has pushed to boost exports to China.

A Russian presidential aide said earlier that Russia’s oil exports to China grew by 35% in the first quarter of 2026 and that Russia is one of the biggest exporters of natural gas to China.

Bilateral trade between the two countries reached around $228 billion in 2025, according to Xinhua news agency.

Xi said trade in areas like energy served as “stabilizing pillars” of the relationship and pledged to accelerate cooperation in other areas, like artificial intelligence, the digital economy and technological innovation.

Xi and Putin show a united front on international affairs

The trip comes just days after Trump’s own visit to Beijing — in a sequence that is meant to cement Beijing’s image as an influential superpower, experts say.

“The message is clearly one that China maintains friendship and strategic partnership with whichever power it likes, and the USA is just one of them,” said Steve Tsang, director of the SOAS China Institute at the University of London.

Putin also described China and Russia’s cooperation in foreign policy as “one of the key stabilizing factors on the international stage.”

“In the current tense situation on the international stage, our close cooperation is particularly in demand,” he said.

Xi also repeated criticisms of “unilateralism and hegemonism,” in what appeared to be a veiled reference to U.S. actions. He said “the world faces the danger of reverting to the law of the jungle.”

In February 2022, just weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, China and Russia announced a “no limits” partnership during a trip by Putin to Beijing.

Beijing says it is neutral in the conflict, though in practice it supports Moscow through frequent state visits, growing trade and joint military drills. China has also ignored demands from the West to stop providing high-tech components for Russia’s weapons industries.

Putin invited Xi to visit Russia in 2027 and said he would take part in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in November in southern China.

Xi and Putin praise each other as `friends’

Both Putin and Xi continued to praise their close personal ties.

“My dear friend,” Putin said as he greeted Xi. “We are truly delighted to see you. We keep in constant touch, both personally and through our aides in the government.”

Xi also addressed Putin as “my longtime friend” at the start of their talks and said it was important to build upon “the foundation of mutual trust” between the countries. The two leaders have praised each other profusely in the past, with Xi at one point describing Putin as his “best and most intimate friend.”

Putin and Xi both need to use their close ties in order to prop up their images at home, said Willy Lam, a senior China fellow at the Jamestown Foundation.

Putin “needs to tell his countrymen and the world that Russia has China’s support in terms of buying its oil and gas and other tangible and intangible financial support,” Lam said.

Meanwhile, for Xi, having both Trump and Putin visit in such close succession is a major source of credit with the country’s top Communist leadership.

Also from CNBC

So far it looks to be a constructive visit

New Russia Oil Waiver

U.S. Plans New Russian Oil Waiver as War Tightens Supplies
Administration Under Pressure to Lower Fuel Prices

The U.S. is expected to issue a waiver allowing the sale of Russian crude oil and petroleum products that are already loaded on tankers, according to people familiar with the matter, just days after the previous one lapsed.

The new license, which is expected to be issued by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, could last for a period longer than 30 days or be subject to additional renewals as the war in Iran drags on, according to the people, who requested anonymity to discuss the decision before it was public.

US attacks Iran.. And has to make concessions to Russia on oil in an attempt to manage their own stupidity – It’s priceless

India purchases Russian oil regardless

Sharma, stated on Monday that her country will continue to purchase oil from Russia regardless of US decisions regarding the inclusion or exclusion of Russian oil from sanctions, affirming that New Delhi relies on commercial viability in this matter.

Sharma said during a press briefing: “Regarding the US exemption from sanctions imposed on Russia, I want to confirm that we were buying oil from Russia before, during, and even after the exemption,” according to Sputnik news agency.

She added: “There is no shortage of crude oil, and sufficient quantities of crude have been repeatedly contracted. Therefore, the presence or absence of this exemption does not change the situation in any way.”

Less sure this is about recruitment, entirely, thinking it’s about Odessa Too

Executive Order granting Russian citizenship to citizens of Transnistria

This Executive Order aims to protect human and civil rights and freedoms based on the universally recognised principles and norms of international law.

In accordance with it, the right to apply for Russian citizenship under simplified procedures, without compliance with a number of requirements, has been granted to foreign citizens and stateless persons aged above 18, who possess full legal capacity and permanently reside in Transnistria as of the date of the entry of this Executive Order into force. The document also sets out the procedure for granting citizenship to underage or incapacitated residents of that region.

It includes a list of documents that are to be submitted together with the application for Russian citizenship and stipulates the procedure for considering applications and making decisions on them.

Also France24

Russia adds 4 LNG carriers to it’s Arctic “Dark Fleet””

Four LNG carriers, Kosmos, Merkuriy, Orion, and Luch have recently changed their ownership and management to little known companies. They were previously servicing Oman’s LNG exports and were managed or owned by Oman Ship Management Co, according to Bloomberg’s findings.

The Kosmos has recently docked at a floating storage unit that’s storing the gas from the Arctic LNG 2 project, which is sanctioned by the U.S., the EU, and the UK. The Kosmos carrier has also recently switched to Russian flag, Bloomberg’s analysis shows.

Russia relies on a growing number of shadow fleet tankers to ship its sanctioned LNG out of the Arctic area in north Russia, where exports are made possible thanks to ice-breaker class tankers.

Norway getting cut out?

Europe may have freed itself from excessive reliance on Russian natural gas, but only by replacing it with another foreign supplier, according to a new analysis by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). The United States is on track to become the EU’s largest gas supplier of any kind this year, overtaking regional energy security partner Norway.

The U.S. is overcoming Norway’s pipeline-gas advantage by dint of the rapid development of U.S. Gulf Coast LNG plants, as well as the sudden unavailability of Middle Eastern supplies due to the Iran conflict. Qatar, normally the second-largest LNG exporter in the world, now finds itself on the wrong side of the Strait of Hormuz for global shipping. As a result, American liquefaction terminals now account for about two thirds of all European LNG imports – and this could rise to 80 percent by 2028, according to IEEFA.

For the same reason, shipments of Russian-sourced LNG into Europe are also rising and are now at the highest level since the start of the invasion of Ukraine, despite the EU’s plans to ban these cargoes by the end of next year. Russian LNG imports rose by 16 percent year-on-year in the first quarter alone

Here are some takeaways from Trump’s trip to China, the first by a U.S. president since 2017.

NO BREAKTHROUGH ON IRAN

Trump downplayed the need for China’s help with Iran ahead of the trip, even as his aides said Beijing – a major buyer of Iranian oil – could play an influential role in brokering a path to ending a conflict that has created the biggest crisis of Trump’s presidency.

The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran has crowded out other policy priorities, raised energy costs and weighed on Republican prospects ahead of November’s midterm elections.

Trump ended his trip without any obvious sign of securing China's help

Trump suggested he could ease sanctions on Chinese refineries that do business with Iran, (Iran was not interested) potentially rolling back one of the few concrete steps the U.S. has taken to punish China for its support of Iran.

“We feel very similar,” Trump said on Friday as he met with Xi in a secretive Chinese Communist Party compound in central Beijing. “We want that to end. We don’t want them to have a nuclear weapon. We want the straits open.”

Xi said nothing. About the same time, the country’s foreign ministry issued a statement that sounded a different note: “This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue,” the ministry wrote, adding that it wants to help the parties find peace.

MORE PAGEANTRY THAN POLICY

Trump touted deals with Xi on Chinese purchases of farm goods, beef and Boeing aircraft, but the details were thin.

He departed Beijing without extending a trade truce due to expire later this year. Markets were disappointed that a deal reported by Trump for China to buy 200 Boeing jets wasn’t bigger, and traders said U.S. soybean futures fell to their lowest level in more than two weeks on Friday after the summit failed to produce specific deals for American farm goods.

On major issues from expanding trade to artificial intelligence and Taiwan, the leaders appeared to have made little progress beyond agreeing to disagree and, perhaps, to keep talking.

The two countries agreed to set up separate boards to govern bilateral trade and investment, but Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said officials from both sides were still working out details.

Unlike in 2017, the leaders made no joint public statement to the media. They didn’t release mutually agreed summaries of their meetings, nor a fact sheet detailing what came out of the talks. China’s public statements made little specific reference to purchase agreements or other commitments by Xi to the U.S.

A person familiar with the planning for the trip said there was little pressure within the White House to secure a big new deal.

The pageantry outshone the policy. Xi treated Trump to goose-stepping soldiers and succulent preparations of Beijing beef but sent him home with little of substance to show for his journey.

STRATEGIC SILENCE ON TAIWAN

When Trump emerged from his first round of talks with Xi on Thursday, reporters wanted to know one thing. What did they discuss on Taiwan?
Standing at the ancient Chinese Temple of Heaven alongside Xi, a president known for his loquaciousness opted for an almost spiritual silence. Trump said nothing.

By that point, China had already released an extended summary of Xi’s own comments on Taiwan in the private meeting with Trump. The Chinese leader warned that mishandling the countries’ disagreements over Taiwan, the democratically governed island claimed by Beijing, could push China-U.S. relations to a “dangerous place.”

For much of the trip, Trump appeared inclined to maintain the United States’ traditional “strategic ambiguity” on the topic.

As he headed back to Washington on Friday, he finally offered a bit more. In Trump’s telling, Xi wanted more information about where Trump stands on Taiwan, in particular if he would defend the island.

“I said I don’t talk about that,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Trump also did not commit to selling more arms to Taiwan, telling reporters he would decide later.

DISCIPLINED TRUMP

Trump often deviates from his prepared remarks to spin yarns, give advice, drop insults or tell jokes.

In Beijing, the Republican president stayed on script, including during a prewritten toast he delivered to Xi at a state dinner on Thursday.

A White House official said Trump was eager to pull off a summit that improved ties, and Chinese Communist Party officials are not well known for appreciating surprises during their highly choreographed events.

For his part, Xi paired gestures of friendship with pointed warnings, underscoring both cooperation between the two countries and their sometimes frosty ties.

“We must make it work and never mess it up,” he said of the China-U.S. relationship.

HEADWINDS BACK HOME

Trump arrives back in the U.S. facing the same political quagmire that dogged him before the trip.

Gas prices, high. Inflation, high. Voter anger, high.

The U.S. president badly needed a win as his administration struggles to contain the political and economic fallout from the war with Iran. The highly anticipated visit may have offered a short-term distraction, but it likely will do little to shift the narrative.

Thucydides Trap- Xi mentioned this to Trump
I though it interesting

US and China should be partners rather than rivals and find the right way to get along well in the changing global era.

Mr Jinping also warned the US against the “Thucydides Trap”— a reference to the ancient rivalry between Athens and Sparta.

The Chinese leader made the remarks on Thursday during his talks with visiting US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

What is the Thucydides trap and why did Xi raise it with Trump

Bloomberg original– read at link above

The term was popularized by Harvard political scientist Graham Allison in the early 2010s, drawing on the ancient Greek historian Thucydides. His argument: when a rising power challenges an established one, conflict inevitably follows. Allison’s research found this pattern played out repeatedly across history and he used this framing as a lens to examine the US-China rivalry.

The term has been around far longer than Graham Allison’s use in 2010

In simple terms, it’s about structural tension. China’s rise — economically, technologically and militarily — challenges America’s long-standing dominance as a world superpower. Even if neither side seeks confrontation, the risk is that competition itself creates pressure that’s hard to control.

The Chinese leader’s message has been consistent: conflict isn’t inevitable. China’s framing is that the two sides should find a way to co-exist, often described by Beijing as “mutual respect” and “win-win cooperation.”

The US cannot tolerate that at all!

Marco Rubio

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States remains committed to its longstanding Taiwan policy as Washington works to preserve strategic stability with China following talks between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

No to mutual respect and cooperation, clearly

Channelnewsasia

BEIJING: A Sino-US relationship based on “constructive strategic stability” – that was the new phrase introduced by Chinese President Xi Jinping on the first day of his high-stakes summit with United States counterpart Donald Trump.

During their meeting on Thursday (May 14) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Xi said he and Trump agreed to make such a relationship the “new positioning” of bilateral ties, according to the Chinese readout.

Analysts say Xi’s remarks reflect the clearest signal of how Beijing wants to frame the next phase of US-China relations – not as a reset, but as long-term competition managed within limits.

“The side that names the relationship is the side setting its terms … Beijing is making the first framing move,” said Li Yaqi, a research assistant specialising in international relations at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore, told CNA.

Nutshell definition

Historical Basis: In his History of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC), Thucydides wrote: “It was the rise of Athens, and the fear that rise engendered in Sparta, that made war inevitable”.

The “Trap”: When a dominant power (Sparta) feels threatened by a rising power (Athens), the potential for miscalculation and conflict skyrockets.

The Conflict: The Peloponnesian War was a 30-year, devastating conflict between the Athenian-led Delian League and the Spartan-led Peloponnesian League, which ultimately resulted in the surrender of Athens. 

That’s it for today!

Yes, that Robert Kagan. Husband of Victoria Nuland- Arch Neo- con

It’s hard to think of a time when the United States suffered a total defeat in a conflict, a setback so decisive that the strategic loss could be neither repaired nor ignored.

Defeat in the present confrontation with Iran will be of an entirely different character. It can neither be repaired nor ignored. There will be no return to the status quo ante, no ultimate American triumph that will undo or overcome the harm done. The Strait of Hormuz will not be “open,” as it once was. With control of the strait, Iran emerges as the key player in the region and one of the key players in the world. The roles of China and Russia, as Iran’s allies, are strengthened; the role of the United States, substantially diminished.

Far from demonstrating American prowess, as supporters of the war have repeatedly claimed, the conflict has revealed an America that is unreliable and incapable of finishing what it started. That is going to set off a chain reaction around the world as friends and foes adjust to America’s failure.

President Trump likes to talk about who has “the cards,” but whether he has any good ones left to play is not clear.

The United States and Israel pounded Iran with devastating effectiveness for 37 days, killing much of the country’s leadership and destroying the bulk of its military, yet couldn’t collapse the regime or exact even the smallest concession from it. Now the Trump administration hopes that blockading Iran’s ports will accomplish what massive force could not.

More military action will inevitably lead Iran to retaliate against neighboring Gulf States; the war’s advocates have no response to that, either. Trump halted attacks on Iran not because he was bored but because Iran was striking the region’s vital oil and gas facilities. The turning point came on March 18, when Israel (first strike) bombed Iran’s South Pars gas field and Iran retaliated by attacking Qatar’s Ras Laffan Industrial City, the world’s largest natural-gas-export plant, causing damage to production capacity that will take years to repair.

Trump responded by declaring a moratorium on further strikes against Iran’s energy facilities and then declaring a cease-fire, despite Iran’s not having made a single concession.

The risk calculus that forced Trump to back down a month ago still holds. Even if Trump were to carry out his threat to destroy Iran’s “civilization” through more bombing, Iran would still be able to launch many missiles and drones before its regime went down—assuming it did go down. Just a few successful strikes could cripple the region’s oil and gas infrastructure for years if not decades, throwing the world, and the United States, into a prolonged economic crisis. Even if Trump wanted to bomb Iran as part of an exit strategy—looking tough as a way of masking his retreat—he can’t do that without risking this catastrophe.

Read the rest at the link provided

A couple of interesting reads

https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Taking-to-the-Persian-Silk-Road-to-circumvent-the-US-blockade-of-Hormuz-65404.html#google_vignette

In response to the war, Tehran is looking for alternative transport routes in Pakistan (and Afghanistan, as already reported) and Russia, a valuable ally, across the Caspian Sea.

The need to expand transport routes is also pushing the Islamist regime to exploit their alliance with China, a key trading partner, to ship oil to China via a revived Persian “Silk Road” capable of circumventing blockades.

Steve H. Hanke, professor of applied economics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, explains that alternative routes can provide the Iranian economy with consumer goods, food, and industrial materials, but “cannot replace” the container economy.

“Trucking is more expensive and Caspian throughput is constrained by port and fleet capacity,” the expert noted. In the past, he served as economic adviser to the US administration under President Ronald Reagan.

There will be costs and higher inflation, but not Iran’s “economic implosion” as some had predicted.

Regarding transportation, rail is among the alternatives being considered by the Islamic Republic’s leaders, particularly the rail corridor leading to China, which could prove valuable, especially for oil transport.

https://aa.com.tr/en/world/un-urges-maximum-restraint-after-renewed-us-iran-escalation-in-strait-of-hormuz/3931857

The UN on Friday expressed concern over reported recent exchanges of fire in the Strait of Hormuz, warning that the situation marks a “critical moment” for de-escalation amid heightened regional tensions.

“What I can tell you is that the secretary-general is concerned by the reported recent exchange of fire in the Strait of Hormuz,” UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters.

“He underscores that this is a critical moment for de-escalation, and urges all sides to exercise maximum restraint to avoid further escalation,” he added.

The UN is calling “for all the parties to fully abide by the ceasefire and refrain from any actions that could lead to any renewed escalation,” he said.

He added that diplomatic efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz are continuing amid renewed hostilities in and around the strait between the US and Iranian forces.

“There is an effort underway,” UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters when asked about mediation efforts.

He said Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS), has been consulting with countries in the region and holding talks in New York, including with Iran’s permanent representative to the UN.

“So he is keeping that dialogue up, and we’re seeing where we can go with that,” Haq said.”

Hantavirus- blowing this out of all proportion in a manner very similar to the non pandemic- Covid

Coincidentally with vaccines in the works..

Boston Globe– Moderna flags work on vaccine before ship outbreak

Why experts says the hantavirus is not another covid

That’s what was said about Covid too. In the very early days

NOURNEWS – The adoption of an asymmetric naval warfare strategy in the conflict between Iran and the United States must be understood as a “rational strategic choice under unequal conditions.” Rather than striving to match the superior power, this approach seeks to “change the playing field.” It endeavors to turn weaknesses into opportunities, use geography as a lever, and link the military arena with economics and perception, thereby imposing its own desired rules on the battlefield.

If we analyze the naval battle between Iran and America through the classical patterns of war, massive fleets of heavy ships, aerial support, and direct engagements, we would be committing a conceptual error from the very start. The true configuration of this confrontation is not based on “power symmetry” but on “changing the rules of the game”; a strategy known in military literature as “asymmetric naval warfare.” Within this framework, Iran’s goal is not to directly compete with America’s technological superiority, but to neutralize it by imposing costs, complicating the environment, and drawing the battle onto its own preferred terrain.

The point of departure for this strategy is geography. The Strait of Hormuz is not merely a passage or a narrow waterway; it is the “geo-economic node” of the contemporary world—the passage through which a significant portion of the world’s energy flows. This characteristic gives any insecurity, even if limited or temporary, dimensions far beyond a local conflict. In such an environment, Iran benefits from the “advantage of proximity”: closeness to the coastlines, superior intelligence awareness, the ability to deploy layered forces, and rapid access to supply lines. In other words, geography for Iran is not a constraint, but a “strategic force multiplier.” Within this context, the main components of Iran’s asymmetric naval warfare can be formulated along several analytical axes:

Replacing the logic of “mass and dispersion” with concentration and absolute superiority. In the face of large, advanced naval battle groups, Iran relies on a network of light, fast, low-cost vessels that possess high mobility and rapid reaction capabilities. These vessels operate under the “swarm attack” tactic—simultaneous engagement from multiple directions to overwhelm complex defense systems. The logic of this approach is clear: even the most advanced systems have a limited capacity to intercept simultaneous threats. Thus, “increasing the number of threats” can lead to “reducing the effectiveness of superior technology.” Here, quantity becomes a tool to constrain quality.
 The integration of sea and coast as a continuous battlefield. Unlike classical models that view the sea as an independent arena, in Iran’s strategy, the sea is an extension of the coast. The deployment of missile systems along the coastline, on islands, and even inland creates a kind of “fire umbrella” that places the enemy’s presence in the region under constant risk. This is the logic of “anti-access/area denial,” the result of which is not necessarily the destruction of the enemy, but the denial of his freedom of maneuver. In such conditions, even if large warships are not damaged, they are forced into caution, distancing, and reduced mobility.
Naval mines as an invisible, low-cost deterrent. Mining is one of the oldest tools of naval warfare, but in environments like the Persian Gulf, it remains highly effective. The important point is that the “effect of a mine” is not limited to its explosion, but also lies in the “mere possibility of its presence.” This very probability imposes clearance operations, slowed movement, and increased operational costs on the opposing side. In a vital passage like the Strait of Hormuz, even a temporary disruption of shipping can trigger global economic consequences.
Ambiguity, uncertainty, and fluidity as weapons. In asymmetric warfare, the enemy’s certainty is the enemy of his effectiveness. Through force dispersion, diversity of tools, and tactical flexibility, Iran seeks to create an environment in which prediction is difficult. Where will the attack come from? With what intensity? At what time? This “operational ambiguity” is in itself a deterrent factor, because it forces the opposing command to exercise excessive caution and expend resources to cover all possible scenarios.
Linking the military arena with the global economic arena. In this strategy, the goal is not merely military engagement, but a “chain reaction” effect on the global economy. Increased risk in the Strait of Hormuz is quickly reflected in energy prices, insurance costs, shipping rates, and even financial markets. In other words, a limited tactical-level action can transform into a strategic-level shock. This is precisely the point at which “asymmetric power” crosses military boundaries and becomes an “economic lever.”
Layering the battle from sea to cyber and narrative. Asymmetric naval warfare is not merely about using different tools at sea; it is about linking different domains. Operations at sea can be accompanied by cyber actions against maritime infrastructure, information warfare, and narrative management in the media. In such a case, the effect of any military action is multiplied, because it is simultaneously reproduced in the minds of audiences and decision-makers.
Time as a strategic variable. In the classical model, speed and decisive blow matter most. But in asymmetric warfare, “gradual attrition” and the prolongation of time can become an advantage. The prolongation of an insecure situation, even at a low level, can place political and economic pressure on the opposing side. Especially when public opinion and markets are sensitive to instability, time becomes a tool for increasing costs.

The adoption of an asymmetric naval warfare strategy in the confrontation between Iran and America must be regarded as a “rational strategic choice under unequal conditions.” Rather than striving to match the superior power, this approach seeks to “change the playing field.” It endeavors to turn weaknesses into opportunities, use geography as a lever, and link the military arena with economics and perception, thereby imposing its own desired rules on the battlefield. Within such a framework, victory is defined not necessarily by the complete destruction of the enemy, but by “imposing costs, limiting options, and establishing effective deterrence”, a definition tied less to hard power and more to strategic intelligence.

Interesting read?

Trump is saying he’s still heading for China in about 10 days time- We’ll see?

Australianews.net

Beijing [China], May 3 (ANI): The Chinese government has issued a formal injunction to block US sanctions directed at five domestic refiners, including the Hengli Petrochemical Refinery, accused by Washington of purchasing Iranian oil.

China Daily, a state-affiliated English-language outlet, defended Beijing’s decision by describing the move as a ‘defensive and justified response’ to what the government characterises as a clear violation of international law.

In an analysis for the outlet, writer Li Yang argued that the sanctions imposed by Washington lack the necessary authorisation from the United Nations. Consequently, Li asserted that such measures ‘violate international law and the basic norms of international relations.’

He further contended that the US ‘is not merely targeting specific companies‘ but is actively attempting to assert ‘jurisdiction over third-party trade between sovereign actors.’

Connecting this to broader geopolitical strategies, Li noted that the US has historically utilised the global dominance of the dollar to expand the reach of its domestic policies. He observed that ‘secondary sanctions penalising entities that transact with blacklisted parties have become a staple of US statecraft.’

According to the report, China’s judicial and administrative response serves to establish a firm boundary against external interference. Li concluded that the injunction sends a definitive message that ‘Chinese entities are not to comply with illegal US sanctions.’

In a sharp escalation of trade hostilities, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Saturday formalised this stance by issuing a blocking measure prohibiting domestic entities from complying with the US restrictions, Xinhua reported.

This marks the first time Beijing has officially invoked its ‘blocking statute,’ a legal mechanism designed to neutralise the extraterritorial reach of foreign laws, signaling a shift from diplomatic protests to active legal countermeasures.

signaling a shift from diplomatic protests to active legal countermeasures.

According to Xinhua, the specific companies named under this protection include Hengli Petrochemical (Dalian) Refining Co., Ltd., Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical Co., Ltd., Shandong Jincheng Petrochemical Group Co., Ltd., Hebei Xinhai Chemical Group Co., Ltd., and Shandong Shengxing Chemical Co., Ltd.

As per the Chinese MOC, the US measures involve placing these firms on the Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list, freezing their assets, and restricting transactions with them.

An MOC spokesperson criticised the US actions, stating that such measures improperly restrict normal economic and trade exchanges between Chinese companies and third countries. The spokesperson added that these actions target citizens and organisations in violation of international law and basic norms governing international relations, Xinhua reported.

The Chinese response follows a period of heightened scrutiny from Washington. Last month, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) cautioned global financial institutions about the sanctions risks associated with dealings involving independent Chinese oil refineries, commonly known as ‘teapot’ refineries, particularly those based in Shandong province.

According to an alert by the OFAC, these refineries have continued to play a significant role in importing and processing Iranian crude oil throughout 2026. The Treasury Department has identified these refineries as major buyers supporting Iran’s oil economy, having reportedly purchased billions of USD worth of Iranian petroleum.

The Chinese Commerce Ministry stated that the blocking order was issued in accordance with Beijing’s rules on countering the extraterritorial application of foreign laws. The measure aims to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests while protecting the legitimate rights of Chinese entities, as reported by Xinhua.

Reiterating its position, the spokesperson said the Chinese government firmly opposes unilateral sanctions that are not authorised by the United Nations or grounded in international law. (ANI)