Key Takeaways: The 7 August 2026 Mecca Pact (Türkiye, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan) treats an attack on one as an attack on all and adds exercises, intel, tech, and defence industry—building on the 2025 Saudi–Pakistan deal. The author calls it an emerging mix of Saudi money/energy, Turkish arms and NATO know-how, …

Key Takeaways: Trump and Treasury Secretary Bessent say Hormuz could be “worthless” in about two years as oil moves by land—pipelines and, for now, thousands of trucks on a 1,500 km Iraq–Syria run to Baniyas. Analysts call that rhetoric. Energy Aspects’ Richard Bronze and former NSC official Robert McNally: extra …

Key Takeaways: On 6 September Mohsen Rezaei said Iran will soon declare a new “exclusion zone” in the Gulf and Gulf of Oman: ships heading toward Hormuz without coordinating with Tehran could be blacklisted, hitting insurance and future passage. No map, date, or legal definition yet. He claims the strait …