Dalga Khatinoglu

Articles by this Author
Iranian passports lie on an Iranian flag.
Middle East Forum Observer
Passport Power Gap Widens Between Middle Eastern Countries and Iran
Passport Strength Reflects a Country’s Political, Economic, and Security Position in the International System
October 29, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
A money counting machine holds Iranian banknotes.
Middle East Forum Observer
How the Iranian Government and the Revolutionary Guard Corrupted Iran’s Banking System
The Combined Debt of All Twenty-Six Iranian Banks to the Central Bank Stands at About $7 Billion
October 27, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Iran’s maritime and aviation logistics suffer from sanctions and lack of investment.
Middle East Forum Observer
Sanctions, Lack of Investments Ground Iran’s Shipping and Air Fleets
Iran Has the Largest Maritime and Tanker Fleet in the Region, but Its Vessels Are Old, and Much of Its Aviation Fleet Is Also Inactive
October 19, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Food inflation in September 2025 hit 58 percent in Iran, more than twice that of the same month a year ago.
Middle East Forum Observer
Food Inflation Surges in Iran
Food Prices in Iran Have Tripled over the past Four Years, and the Iranian Rial Has Lost Three-Quarters of Its Value
October 10, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
The United Kingdom, France, and Germany announced on August 28, 2025, that they would begin restoring United Nations sanctions on Iran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Despite Iranian Denials, U.N. Sanctions Snapback Will Hit Economy Hard
European Union Sanctions—Covering Oil and Petrochemical Equipment, Banking, Transport, and Insurance—Also Would Be Restored
September 29, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Iran's Lake Urmia, once the world's second-largest saltwater lake, has dried up.
Middle East Forum Observer
The Water Shortage Has Become Iran’s Greatest Crisis
Iran Ranks First in the Region and Fifth Globally in Groundwater Depletion, and Half of the Country’s Aquifers Are Now in a Critical State
September 23, 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
Snapback Is the Final Nail in the Coffin of Iran’s 20-Year Development Plan
Once the Second Largest Economy in the Middle East, Iran Has No Long-Term Economic Vision as International Sanctions Are Set to Return
September 14, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Russian troops are getting assistance in the Ukraine war from fighters from Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iran’s Role in Deploying Middle Eastern Militias to the War in Ukraine
Numerous Reports Have Surfaced of Militias Sent to Fight on Russia’s Side in Ukraine, Drawn from Countries Under Iran’s Influence
September 11, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
In 2025, Iran’s gross domestic product is expected to shrink to $341 billion and its public debt has surged.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iran Suffers Sharp Decline in Revenues Amidst Its War with Israel
The War Shut Down the Country for Nearly Two Weeks, and Widespread State-Imposed Internet Restrictions Disrupted Online Businesses
August 30, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
An oil tanker navigates calm waters at Penang, Malaysia, in June 2025.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iran’s Unsold Oil Stocks Surge
Energy Analysts Say the Volume of Iranian Oil Stored at Sea Has Escalated by About 30 Million Barrels Since the Beginning of 2025
August 7, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Iran's stock exchange has lost nearly a fifth of its overall value since the 12-day war with Israel in June 2025.
Middle East Forum Observer
Iran’s Turmoil Deepens After War with Israel
The Psychological and Political Shock Has Shaken Public Confidence in the Government’s Ability to Manage the Country
July 18, 2025
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Mardo Soghom
Air pollution obscures the skyline of Tehran, Iran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Israel Is Iran’s Latest Excuse for Its Pollution Crises
More than 98 Percent of Iran’s Energy Comes from Fossil Fuels, and Its Dust Problem Is Chronic and Systemic
July 18, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
A street scene in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Middle East Forum Observer
The United Arab Emirates’ Pivotal Role in Reviving Iran’s Foreign Trade
It’s Unclear Whether New Memorandums with Washington Will Prompt Abu Dhabi to Lessen Trade with Tehran
July 3, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
The Islamic Republic is not merely a rational state with negotiable interests; it is a revolutionary regime, committed to ideological expansionism, proxy warfare, and the managed pursuit of nuclear latency.
Middle East Forum Observer
Will Iranians Finally Get Rid of the Nuclear Burden?
The Islamic Republic Has Gained Little from Decades of Investment in Its Nuclear Program, and Has Suffered from Crippling Sanctions
June 25, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Cargo ships line the horizon in the Strait of Hormuz.
Middle East Forum Observer
Even Threatening to Close the Strait of Hormuz Could Be Suicidal for Iran
Iranian Leaders Can Bluster, but There Is Little Risk That Iran Can Cause a Global Oil Shortage
June 17, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa speaks during a celebration of the lifting of sanctions on May 27, 2025.
Middle East Forum Observer
Reviving Syria’s Economy Can Push It Toward the Western-Leaning, Moderate Arab Bloc
The Broad Participation of Arab Countries in Reconstruction Suggests a Push to Keep Syria from Falling Back Into Iran’s Orbit
June 3, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
A file photo of a gas station in Fars Province, Iran.
Middle East Forum Observer
Deepening Energy Crisis in Iran Sparks Protests
To Deal With the Energy Deficit, the Regime Has Blamed Citizens for Excessive Consumption and Proposed a Price Hike
May 28, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
The head office for Qatar Energy, one of the world's largest exporters of liquified natural gas.
Middle East Forum Observer
Why Qatar Cozies up to Iran’s Clerical Regime
Iran’s Regime Has Been Unable to Properly Develop Its Share of a Critical Natural Gas Field—and That’s Good for Qatar
May 20, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
A Bitcoin cryptocurrency mining farm.
Middle East Forum Observer
How Iran’s Cryptocurrency Gamble Empowers the Revolutionary Guards and Drains the State
What Began as a State-Sanctioned Workaround for Sanctions Has Mutated Into a Security Vulnerability
May 14, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
Iraq's dependence on Tehran's exports has enabled covert Iranian oil sales under Iraqi branding.
Middle East Forum Observer
The Strategic Implications of Iran’s Shrinking Economic Leverage in Iraq
For the U.S. and Its Allies, Bolstering Iraq’s Energy Independence and Financial Integrity Should Be a Priority
May 7, 2025
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Dalga Khatinoglu
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