Eddie Fishman: Understanding Iran

Geopolitical statecraft increasingly relies on economic warfare rather than traditional military conflict, as nations weaponize critical infrastructure and financial systems. Former State Department official Eddie Fishman highlights how the U.S. dollar and energy corridors like the Strait of Hormuz serve as vital "choke points" that nations manipulate to exert pressure. This shift creates a dangerous paradox where countries perceive nuclear weapons as essential for survival, observing that non-nuclear states often face greater instability. While traditional diplomacy often relies on rigid protocols, the effectiveness of international relations frequently hinges on interpersonal trust and humanizing adversaries to break deadlocks. As global powers engage in an economic arms race, the scramble for security and the weaponization of trade are fundamentally reshaping the global economic order, moving away from the interconnected globalization of previous decades toward a more fragmented, competitive landscape.