Why Everyone Is Talking About Chokepoints

The Gulf’s Postwar Playbook

Gulf countries like Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have created entire cities and world-class airlines off the back of energy riches and U.S. security. The Iran war has upended the calculations of the Gulf monarchs. How are they rethinking their strategies? Allison Minor worked on Gulf policy in the Biden administration and joins FP Live to share her analysis.  Plus, Ravi shares his read on what the recent migrant crisis in Ceuta means for the future of immigration policy. Allison Minor and April Longley Alley: A Saudi-Emirati Thaw Can Help Contain Iran [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/08/03/saudi-arabia-emirates-iran-israel-uae-missile-defense-sanctions-hormuz/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=c2F1ZGktYXJhYmlhLWVtaXJhdGVzLWlyYW4taXNyYWVsLXVhZS1taXNzaWxlLWRlZmVuc2Utc2FuY3Rpb25zLWhvcm11eg==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Saeid Jafari: The Regional Order Iran Wanted Is Taking Shape Without It [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/08/11/mecca-turkey-saudi-arabia-pakistan-iran-gulf-hormuz-nato/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=bWVjY2EtdHVya2V5LXNhdWRpLWFyYWJpYS1wYWtpc3Rhbi1pcmFuLWd1bGYtaG9ybXV6LW5hdG8=&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Steven A. Cook: Economic Integration in the Middle East Is a False God [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/27/middle-east-trump-saudi-arabia-economic-integration-israel-gulf/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=bWlkZGxlLWVhc3QtdHJ1bXAtc2F1ZGktYXJhYmlhLWVjb25vbWljLWludGVncmF0aW9uLWlzcmFlbC1ndWxm&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Rob Geist Pinfold: Discord in the Gulf [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/01/29/saudi-arabia-united-arab-emirates-yemen-grand-strategy-israel/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=c2F1ZGktYXJhYmlhLXVuaXRlZC1hcmFiLWVtaXJhdGVzLXllbWVuLWdyYW5kLXN0cmF0ZWd5LWlzcmFlbA==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Why Everyone Is Talking About Chokepoints

The Strait of Hormuz may be the chokepoint of the moment, but it’s actually not even the one that’s most concerning to Eddie Fishman, the author of Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare. He explains why U.S. dollar dominance, Chinese critical mineral control, and the semiconductor supply chain are more potent in terms of how much they can impact geopolitics—and how countries and companies might weaponize them.  Plus, why is China following such a radically different artificial intelligence strategy than the United States? Ravi shares his read. Graham Allison: America’s Cosmic Bet on AI [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/08/04/united-states-artificial-intelligence-race-china-openai-anthropic-donald-trump-elon-musk/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dW5pdGVkLXN0YXRlcy1hcnRpZmljaWFsLWludGVsbGlnZW5jZS1yYWNlLWNoaW5hLW9wZW5haS1hbnRocm9waWMtZG9uYWxkLXRydW1wLWVsb24tbXVzaw==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Rishi Iyengar: China Is AI-Maxxing [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/23/china-ai-race-moonshot-kimi-k3-alibaba-qwen-deepseek-openai-anthropic/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=Y2hpbmEtYWktcmFjZS1tb29uc2hvdC1raW1pLWszLWFsaWJhYmEtcXdlbi1kZWVwc2Vlay1vcGVuYWktYW50aHJvcGlj&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Agathe Demarais: How China Is Winning the Global AI Race [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/05/07/artificial-intelligence-ai-china-us-west-race-silicon-valley-global/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=YXJ0aWZpY2lhbC1pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UtYWktY2hpbmEtdXMtd2VzdC1yYWNlLXNpbGljb24tdmFsbGV5LWdsb2JhbA==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Keith Johnson: America’s Economic Warfare Is Sowing Its Own Demise [https://foreignpolicy.com/2025/02/07/chokepoints-edward-fishman-review-us-sanctions-dollar-economic-warfare/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=Y2hva2Vwb2ludHMtZWR3YXJkLWZpc2htYW4tcmV2aWV3LXVzLXNhbmN0aW9ucy1kb2xsYXItZWNvbm9taWMtd2FyZmFyZQ==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Bob Davis: Does the United States Have the Weapons for Trade War? [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/05/trade-war-trump-china-economics/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dHJhZGUtd2FyLXRydW1wLWNoaW5hLWVjb25vbWljcw==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Maximilian Hess: Trump Has Weakened America’s Sanctions Weapon [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/30/trump-sanctions-venezuela-iran-weakened/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dHJ1bXAtc2FuY3Rpb25zLXZlbmV6dWVsYS1pcmFuLXdlYWtlbmVk&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Why the Energy Crisis Isn’t Worse—Yet

The ongoing war in Iran has been called the biggest energy crisis in history. How is it changing the plans of countries and companies? Which changes will be permanent? Ravi turns to Daniel Yergin, the world’s foremost expert of the oil industry and its history. Yergin is the vice chairman of S&P Global and the author of The Prize, The Quest and, most recently, The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations. Plus, Ravi shares his read on the expanding conflict in the Middle East. Philip H. Gordon: There’s Only One Way Out of Trump’s Reckless War [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/23/iran-united-states-trump-hormuz-war-nuclear/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi11bml0ZWQtc3RhdGVzLXRydW1wLWhvcm11ei13YXItbnVjbGVhcg==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Allison Minor and Nate Swanson: How to End the Iran War [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/29/trump-iran-hormuz-mou-cease-fire-energy-peace/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dHJ1bXAtaXJhbi1ob3JtdXotbW91LWNlYXNlLWZpcmUtZW5lcmd5LXBlYWNl&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Fatih Birol: The Global Energy Map Is Being Redrawn in Real Time [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/08/energy-oil-fossil-fuel-hormuz-iran-ukraine-war/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=ZW5lcmd5LW9pbC1mb3NzaWwtZnVlbC1ob3JtdXotaXJhbi11a3JhaW5lLXdhcg==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Michael Hirsh: How the Iran War Reshaped the Global Landscape of Power  [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/18/iran-war-ceasefire-deal-israel-united-states/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi13YXItY2Vhc2VmaXJlLWRlYWwtaXNyYWVsLXVuaXRlZC1zdGF0ZXM=&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] John V. Bowlus: Escaping the Hormuz Trap [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/04/27/hormuz-trap-oil-pipeline-iran-war-united-states-arab-israel/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aG9ybXV6LXRyYXAtb2lsLXBpcGVsaW5lLWlyYW4td2FyLXVuaXRlZC1zdGF0ZXMtYXJhYi1pc3JhZWw=&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Ali Ahmadi: The Oil Market Is Much More Vulnerable Than Trump Believes [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/21/iran-war-oil-markets-crude-prices-hormuz-strait-reserves-houthi-blockade-united-states-saudi-arabia/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi13YXItb2lsLW1hcmtldHMtY3J1ZGUtcHJpY2VzLWhvcm11ei1zdHJhaXQtcmVzZXJ2ZXMtaG91dGhpLWJsb2NrYWRlLXVuaXRlZC1zdGF0ZXMtc2F1ZGktYXJhYmlh&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

The Iran Expert Trump Fired

Iran and the United States are locked in a familiar pattern. Conflict has resumed, both sides seem caught in an escalation trap, and oil prices are rising. What would it take for Tehran and Washington to both save face and step back? Ravi Agrawal turns to career diplomat and Iran expert Nate Swanson, who was fired by the Trump administration last year.  Plus, Ravi shares his read on India’s youth protests and the so-called “Cockroach Janata Party.”  Sumit Ganguly: India’s Cockroach Movement Gains Momentum [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/03/india-cockroach-janta-party-youth-unemployment-protest/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aW5kaWEtY29ja3JvYWNoLWphbnRhLXBhcnR5LXlvdXRoLXVuZW1wbG95bWVudC1wcm90ZXN0&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Ellie Geranmayeh: How the United States and Iran Can Solve Hormuz [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/15/hormuz-iran-united-states-trump-war-israel-shipping/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aG9ybXV6LWlyYW4tdW5pdGVkLXN0YXRlcy10cnVtcC13YXItaXNyYWVsLXNoaXBwaW5n&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Dennis Ross: How to Isolate Tehran [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/17/tehran-iran-trump-hormuz-diplomacy-force-strikes/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dGVocmFuLWlyYW4tdHJ1bXAtaG9ybXV6LWRpcGxvbWFjeS1mb3JjZS1zdHJpa2Vz&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] David Ignatius: Trump Pushed the Reset Button. This is ‘Iran Fiasco 2.0.’ [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/15/iran-war-trump-treaty-hormuz-strait-mou-united-states-diplomacy/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi13YXItdHJ1bXAtdHJlYXR5LWhvcm11ei1zdHJhaXQtbW91LXVuaXRlZC1zdGF0ZXMtZGlwbG9tYWN5&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Keith Johnson: Energy Markets’ False Dawn May Be Over [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/08/energy-markets-oil-hormuz-us-iran-strikes/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=ZW5lcmd5LW1hcmtldHMtb2lsLWhvcm11ei11cy1pcmFuLXN0cmlrZXM=&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Rob Geist Pinfold and Dania Thafer: The Gulf States That Iran Thinks It Can Attack [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/14/iran-gulf-attacks-kuwait-bahrain-saudi-arabia-uae-trump/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=aXJhbi1ndWxmLWF0dGFja3Mta3V3YWl0LWJhaHJhaW4tc2F1ZGktYXJhYmlhLXVhZS10cnVtcA==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]

Is the Trans-Atlantic Relationship Over? A Debate.

Is the trans-Atlantic relationship over? Nathalie Tocci argues that it cannot be rebuilt as it was: The liberal order that birthed trans-Atlanticism is gone, and a fundamental breach of trust has occurred. Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer sees it differently: Trans-Atlanticism was never based only on values but also on security, economic, and technological interests. The relationship has now entered a period of geopolitical maturity, where the two sides will pick and choose areas of cooperation. The two European experts debate their takes. Plus, Ravi shares his read on how renewed conflict in Iran hurts energy prices.  Alexandra Sharp: U.S.-Iran Talks May Continue, but the Cease-Fire Is Over [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/10/us-iran-war-cease-fire-over-strikes-strait-hormuz-qatar-pakistan/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dXMtaXJhbi13YXItY2Vhc2UtZmlyZS1vdmVyLXN0cmlrZXMtc3RyYWl0LWhvcm11ei1xYXRhci1wYWtpc3Rhbg==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Rebecca F. Elliott and Lisa Friedman in the New York Times: China’s Next Move May Decide Whether Oil Prices Soar [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/13/business/energy-environment/oil-prices-iran-china.html] Nathalie Tocci: The End of Trans-Atlanticism [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/15/trans-atlanticism-europe-united-states-mark-carney-davos-nato/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=dHJhbnMtYXRsYW50aWNpc20tZXVyb3BlLXVuaXRlZC1zdGF0ZXMtbWFyay1jYXJuZXktZGF2b3MtbmF0bw==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer: Trans-Atlanticism Isn’t Dead—It’s Being Renegotiated [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/01/nato-summit-transatlantic-alliance-dead-alive-trump-russia-defense-geopolitics/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=bmF0by1zdW1taXQtdHJhbnNhdGxhbnRpYy1hbGxpYW5jZS1kZWFkLWFsaXZlLXRydW1wLXJ1c3NpYS1kZWZlbnNlLWdlb3BvbGl0aWNz&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Luke McGee: Washington Shouldn’t Fear NATO Expansion [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/07/13/nato-expansion-ukraine-sweden-trump/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=bmF0by1leHBhbnNpb24tdWtyYWluZS1zd2VkZW4tdHJ1bXA=&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Dimitar Bechev: Contain, Consolidate, and Co-Opt [https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/05/europe-strategy-turkey-russia-china-putin-erdogan-brussels/?utm_content=gifting&tpcc=gifting_article&gifting_article=ZXVyb3BlLXN0cmF0ZWd5LXR1cmtleS1ydXNzaWEtY2hpbmEtcHV0aW4tZXJkb2dhbi1icnVzc2Vscw==&pid=PNIhHwPfesawrtd&tpcc=fpl_pod] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices [https://megaphone.fm/adchoices]