EconoTicker

Jordan said attacks by the Islamic Republic on Arab countries are condemned and unacceptable, while reaffirming that it will not allow its territory or airspace to be exploited by any side in the conflict. The position is consistent with Amman’s broader stance that Jordan will not become a battlefield and will act to protect its sovereignty and internal security.

The latest regional statements backed by Jordan described Iran’s missile and drone attacks as deliberate strikes against civilian and strategic infrastructure, including oil facilities, underscoring the wider Arab concern that the conflict is spilling beyond Israel and Iran into the broader region.

Source: Al Arabiya; Jordan Times; official joint regional statements.

Russia has emerged as an economic winner from the energy shock triggered by the Iran war, with Euronews, citing CREA data, reporting that Moscow earned €7.7 billion from fossil fuel exports between March 1 and March 15. That works out to about €513 million per day, up from roughly €472 million per day in February. Oil export revenues alone averaged around €372 million a day, about 14% higher than the February average, as conflict-related supply fears and disruption risks around the Strait of Hormuz pushed prices sharply higher.

At the same time, Washington moved to calm markets rather than tighten the squeeze further. Reuters reported that the United States issued a 30-day waiver allowing countries to buy sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products that were already stranded at sea, describing the move as an effort to stabilize energy markets roiled by the Iran war. The combination of higher prices and partial sanctions relief has given Moscow a clear short-term revenue boost, even as the broader geopolitical crisis deepens.

Source: Euronews; Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA); Reuters.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot is traveling to Israel on Friday in an unscheduled visit, shortly after his stop in Beirut, as Paris steps up efforts to reduce regional tensions and help secure a ceasefire in Lebanon. According to Reuters, Barrot is expected to discuss regional security, humanitarian aid, and broader efforts to de-escalate conflicts in the Middle East with Israeli officials. The trip highlights France’s attempt to stay diplomatically engaged on both the Lebanon front and the wider regional crisis.

Source: Reuters.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Iranian regime’s attacks on Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other countries are effectively attacks on global stability and European energy security. In his evening address, he said the strikes are disrupting markets and critical energy supply routes, drawing a direct comparison with Russia’s repeated attacks on Ukraine’s energy system and maritime trade. He added that such attacks are designed to make nations suffer, and said Ukraine is ready to contribute to joint security initiatives aimed at stabilizing the region, protecting sea lanes, and defending energy infrastructure. Zelensky also said Ukrainian expert groups focused on protection against Shahed drones are already in relevant countries in the region.

Source: Official website of the President of Ukraine.

EU leaders meeting in Brussels called for action to limit the economic fallout from the Iran war, as surging fuel costs add pressure to households, industry, and growth. In draft conclusions seen by Reuters, leaders asked the European Commission to help member states use temporary and targeted measures to curb the rise in energy prices, while preserving long-term investment signals, speeding up renewables, and protecting fair competition inside the bloc.

The European Council’s published conclusions also called for de-escalation, protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and full respect for international law. It specifically urged a moratorium on strikes against energy and water facilities and asked the Commission to keep reporting on the impact of the crisis on energy security, energy prices, supply chains, and migration, and to propose measures where needed.

Source: Reuters; European Council.

The UAE State Security Apparatus said it dismantled a terrorist network linked to Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran and arrested its members after authorities said the group had been operating inside the country under a fictitious commercial cover. According to the official account carried by WAM and republished by local outlets, the network was allegedly trying to infiltrate the national economy and carry out external schemes that could threaten the country’s financial stability.

Authorities said the network acted under a pre-planned strategy coordinated with external parties linked to Hezbollah and Iran, in violation of economic and legal regulations, including money laundering and terror financing activities. The UAE security apparatus added that any attempt to exploit the economy or civil institutions for terrorist or subversive purposes would be met with firm action, and said no outside interference threatening the country’s security and stability would be tolerated.

Source: WAM / UAE State Security Apparatus, as cited by Sharjah 24 and ARN News.

General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Iran entered the war with a large weapons stockpile and still retains some ability to strike energy infrastructure across the Persian Gulf. He said that is why the United States has acted so aggressively and decisively, adding that U.S. forces are continuing to track and destroy those capabilities even as Iran’s arsenal has been reduced. The remarks underscored that, nearly three weeks into the war, Washington does not yet view Iran’s regional strike threat as fully eliminated.

Source: Reuters; Pentagon briefing.

The Trump administration is considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. troops to the Middle East as it weighs broader options in the war against Iran, according to Reuters, which cited one U.S. official and three people familiar with the planning. One major focus is restoring tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, while another option under discussion is a possible move involving Iran’s Kharg Island, the hub that handles about 90% of Iran’s oil exports.

Reuters said any use of U.S. ground forces would carry significant political risk for Trump, given weak public support for the Iran campaign and his earlier promises to avoid dragging the United States into more wars. The report comes as the conflict moves into its third week with no clear sign of de-escalation and with energy security increasingly at the center of military planning.

Source: Reuters.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Israel will carry out no further attacks on Iran’s South Pars gas field unless Tehran escalates, while warning that Washington could destroy the site if Iran targets Qatar again. He also said the United States and Qatar were not involved in, and had no prior knowledge of, the original strike on the field, which Iran shares with Qatar.

The remarks underline a dangerous new phase in the conflict, where energy infrastructure has become a direct target. Reuters reported that damage to Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG hub and earlier strikes on South Pars have intensified fears over global oil and gas supplies. In the market, Brent crude was around $112.19 and WTI around $97.07, showing that traders are still pricing in a heavy geopolitical risk premium.

Source: Reuters; Truth Social.

Japan sharply raised pressure on Tehran after Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in a phone call that Iran must immediately stop attacks on civilian and infrastructure facilities in Gulf countries and halt actions that threaten shipping safety in the Strait of Hormuz. The statement shows Tokyo’s concern is no longer limited to energy markets, but now extends directly to regional civilian infrastructure and maritime security.

Motegi also said Japan is concerned about the large number of Japan-related vessels currently detained in the Persian Gulf and asked Iran to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of all ships passing through Hormuz, including vessels linked to Japan and other Asian countries. According to Japan’s foreign ministry, Araghchi explained Iran’s position, and both sides agreed to stay in close contact in pursuit of early de-escalation.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.

Published reports and circulated mapping claims say multiple Iranian security checkpoints, police posts, and mobile police units in Tehran were targeted on Tuesday, including sites reportedly near Enghelab Square, Valiasr Square, Sadeghiyeh, and Modarres Highway. Additional claims placed strikes near Imam Hossein metro station, around Sharif University, along the Chamran corridor, and close to Azadi Square. These precise location claims were circulating in report form, but I did not find independent confirmation of each specific site in major wire coverage before replying.

What is independently confirmed is the broader pattern: Reuters reported on March 13 that Israel had been targeting checkpoints in Tehran, including posts tied to the Basij and internal security structure, using intelligence from informants on the ground. That suggests the newly circulated Tehran strike claims fit an established pattern of pressure on the regime’s urban security network, even if the exact map points still await fuller verification.

Source: Published reports and circulated maps; broader context from Reuters.

French President Emmanuel Macron said France would never take part in operations to unblock the Strait of Hormuz while hostilities are ongoing, stressing that Paris is not a party to the conflict. He said France is instead working on a coalition that could help guarantee freedom of navigation only after the fighting ends, including through a possible escort system once the bombing stops.

Separately, the European Union signaled there is no appetite to expand the Red Sea naval mission Aspides to the Strait of Hormuz, underlining Europe’s broader reluctance to enter the current conflict directly. I did not find a reliable public-source confirmation for the specific claim that any future Hormuz mission would require coordination with Iran.

Source: Reuters; EU statements.