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Senior Asia-Pacific Correspondent
Ben Hargrove covers the Asia-Pacific from trade wars to tech regulation to territorial disputes. His reporting emphasizes the region's growing centrality to global affairs.
Even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens soon, energy analysts warn that restoring Gulf production to pre-conflict levels will require extensive infrastructure repairs and diplomatic coordination.
Even as diplomatic agreements promise calm, commercial shipping through the world's most critical oil chokepoint remains paralyzed by distrust.
Despite a fragile cease-fire agreement involving Iran, maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz continues to decline as vessel operators remain deeply wary of transiting Iranian coastal waters. The hesitation underscores how geopolitical uncertainty can persist long after diplomatic frameworks are established.
Kyiv escalates drone and missile strikes on refineries and export terminals as Persian Gulf tensions send crude prices soaring, filling Kremlin coffers.