Dalga Khatinoglu

Articles by this Author
China’s imports of Iranian oil have fallen sharply since the start of U.S.-Israel operations against the Islamic Republic on February 28, 2026.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iran’s Oil Production and Exports Enter a Steep Decline
If the Blockade Against Iran Continues, Tehran Could Run Out of Accessible Oil Supplies for Delivery to China Within Two Months
May 24, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
The Kashan bazaar in Iran during an afternoon lull.
Middle East Forum Observer
The War’s Severe Damage to Iran’s Economy Comes Into View
Iranian Authorities Continue to Project Defiance but the Economy Appears to Have Limited Remaining Resilience
May 1, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
The USS Abraham Lincoln conducts U.S. blockade operations in the Arabian Sea on April 16, 2026.
Middle East Forum Observer
How Real Is the Naval Blockade of Iran?
The U.S. May Be Signaling Dominance but Trying to Remain Flexible by Not Shutting Down Iran’s Oil Trade Entirely
April 27, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Confrontation, sanctions, and nuclear escalation have imposed enormous economic costs on Iran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iran Under Pressure as War Exposes Deep Industrial Damage
Military Pressure, Economic Contraction, and Industrial Disruption May Push Iran Toward Significant Concessions
April 22, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Qatar Airways jets are grounded at Manchester Airport, United Kingdom, because of the Iran war on March 8, 2026.
Middle East Forum Observer
The Iran War’s Damage to Global Aviation
Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz Have Caused Shortages and Surging Prices for Jet Fuel
April 17, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Steel pipes used for an industrial pipeline are shown against the Iranian flag.
Middle East Forum Observer
The Economic Consequences of Targeting Iran’s Steel, Infrastructure, and Petrochemicals
Israel’s Campaign Appears Designed to Degrade Iran’s Economic Resilience
April 7, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
An overview of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, at sunset.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iran’s Heavy Economic Toll on Gulf Arab States
Oil Storage and Fuel Infrastructure Have Sustained Damage, with No Short-Term Outlook for Restoring Exports to Pre-Conflict Levels
March 30, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Iran usually maintains 60–70 million barrels of oil in floating storage.
Middle East Forum Observer
Are Iran Oil Sanctions Waivers Relief for Tehran or Leverage for Washington?
The U.S. May Try to Manage Markets and Tehran’s Internal Calculations, but Shouldn’t Expect Policy Change from the Regime
March 23, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Iran exports more than 90 percent of its oil through the Kharg Oil Terminal.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iran Is Not Just Holding Oil Markets Hostage—It Is Mocking Them
Iran Has Launched Dozens of Missile Strikes Against Energy Infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Even Iraq
March 16, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
In June 2025, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20 percent of its oil and gas shipments pass.
Middle East Forum Observer
Attacks on Tehran’s Fuel Storage and Energy Infrastructure Will Have Consequences
If the Strait of Hormuz Remains Blocked for Several More Weeks, Global Oil Prices Could Rise to $120–$150 per Barrel
March 8, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Iran's targeting of Gulf Arab states with U.S. bases, in retaliation for U.S.-Israel airstrikes, may backfire.
Middle East Forum Observer
Attacking Gulf Arab States Was a Huge Mistake for Iran
Tehran Appears to Be Trying to Pressure Arab States with U.S. Bases to Convince Washington to Halt Further Strikes on Iran
March 2, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
A refinery for oil and petrochemicals.
Middle East Forum Observer
The Islamic Republic’s Cynical Desire to Promise Contracts to American Companies
Even If Tehran and Washington Were to Reach a New Nuclear Agreement, Such Participation Would Remain Unrealistic
March 1, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
In this file photo, an oil tanker is anchored in the Persian Gulf near the waterfront of Chabahar, Iran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Why Is India Tightening the Screws on Iran Now?
India’s Trade with the United States and European Union Reaches Roughly $400 Billion—More than 133 Times India-Iran Trade
February 21, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomes Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to the BRICS summit in October 2024.
Middle East Forum Observer
China’s Foreign Investment Jumps as Beijing Bypasses Iran and Russia
Among Middle Eastern Countries, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq Topped the List of Chinese ‘Belt and Road’ Project Destinations
February 7, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
A lone camel rider traverses a vast desert in Saudi Arabia in May 2025, with an oil refinery faintly visible on the horizon.
Middle East Forum Observer
Why 2026 Will Be a Tough Year for Middle Eastern Oil Producers
With the Low Oil Prices Projected for the Year, Most Major Middle Eastern Oil Producers Will Face Budget Deficits
January 27, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
A machine counts Iranian rial banknotes.
Middle East Forum Observer
Why Iran’s Economy Is Irreparable Under the Islamic Republic
The Government Effectively Has Been Bankrupt for Years, Running Annual Deficits of Roughly One-Third of Its Budget
January 25, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest exporter of refined petroleum and petrochemical products.
Middle East Forum Observer
Why Arab States Are Trying to Prevent a U.S. Attack on Iran
Arab States in the Persian Gulf Have Concerns That Go Beyond Security and Politics, Involving Exports of Oil and Other Products
January 15, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Iranian rials or IRR banknotes from Iran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Its Allies’ Falls Continue the Destruction of Iran’s Financial Capital
Syria and Venezuela Pledged to Repay Their Debts for Oil and Gas That Iran Exported to Them, but Have Not
January 6, 2026
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Dalga Khatinoglu
A November 2022 photo of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members in Tehran, Iran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Tax Increase in Iran to Finance the IRGC and Religious Institutions
The Government Cut Projected Oil Export Revenues by 63 Percent and Will Transfer Most Exports Directly to the Revolutionary Guard
December 31, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
An old man begs in the street in Iran. Sixty percent of Iranians live below the poverty line.
Middle East Forum Observer
The Year in Review: Iran’s Deepening Economic Crisis
A Former Tehran Stock Exchange Official Recently Warned of a Potential Surge in Iran’s Inflation to as High as 3,000 Percent
December 27, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
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