The Iran war: Regional geopolitics, oil, and natural gas
OGJ talks with a Middle East energy studies expert about complex political dynamics shaping the Iran war, the importance of the Strait of Hormuz, and the Kurdish region's evolving role.
In this bonus episode of the Oil & Gas Journal ReEnterprised podcast, Head of Content Chris Smith is joined by Jim Krane, the Diana Tamari Sabbagh Fellow in Middle East Energy Studies and Center for Energy Studies Lead for Energy and Geopolitics in the Middle East at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy.
The two discuss the regional political forces shaping the Iran war so far, exactly how vulnerable the Strait of Hormuz is, and—shifting inland—what’s in it for the Kurds.
Chris joined Oil & Gas Journal in 2005 as Pipeline Editor, having already worked for more than a decade in a variety of oil and gas industry analysis and reporting roles. He became editor-in-chief in 2019 and head of content in 2025.
