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Chess

Best of the Web: The Larak Corridor: Iran's Rial Gate with no US, no Israel, and no way around

Freddie Ponton
21st Century Wire
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 14:31 UTC
larak corridor hormuz iran control graphic
© 21st Century Wire
While MOW Secretary Pete Hegseth was telling other nations to "step up" in the Strait of Hormuz, Donald Trump was already backing away, insisting its security was "not for us." In between those contradictions, Washington dumped a fog of conflicting slogans on the public — slogans that never looked like strategy so much as panicked improvisation. That confusion is not a sideshow to the war, but the political static masking a brutal reality. While the White House and its zionist neocon war camp lurch between bluff and retreat, Iran has been moving with cold discipline, quietly building what Iranian reporting calls the Larak Corridor and what maritime trackers have identified as a tightly managed lane through the Qeshm-Larak gap inside Iranian waters.

Around Larak, Tehran is no longer just reacting to an illegal war launched against it. It is turning battlefield pressure into procedure, selective access, and proposed law, using a controlled corridor and a wider Hormuz management plan to show that the old fantasy of automatic Western command over this chokepoint is breaking down in real time. The truth of the war is not found in the bombast coming out of Washington; instead you will find it in the places where power is actually shifting, and right now, one of those places is a narrow strip of water off Larak, where Iran looks calmer, more deliberate, and more in command of events than the people who thought they could bomb it into submission.
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USA

We destroy, you clean up: Future of NATO uncertain - Hegseth


RT
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 13:05 UTC
Hegseth
US war minister aka 'dollar store templar', Pete Hegseth
US President Donald Trump will decide what to do regarding the bloc after ending the war with Iran, the Pentagon chief has said

US War Secretary Pete Hegseth has refused to reaffirm Washington's commitment to NATO's collective defense, pointing to the bloc's refusal to assist or participate in the American-Israeli war on Iran.

Speaking at a Pentagon press briefing on Tuesday, Hegseth stated that the future of US involvement in NATO will ultimately be decided by President Donald Trump, but noted that many issues with the bloc have been "laid bare" in the Iran conflict.

"A lot has been shown to the world about what our allies would be willing to do for the US when we undertake an effort of this scope on behalf of the free world," Hegseth said. He argued that Iranian missiles did not pose a threat to the US, but to its "allies and others," who responded to Washington's request for assistance with "questions, or roadblocks, or hesitations."

"The President is pointing out that you don't have much of an alliance if you have countries that are not willing to stand with you when you need them," Hegseth said.


Comment: So the US thought that NATO countries would come and help every war the US starts? Well, in the past that has been the case though that was not really the facade that NATO presented to its member states. Thanks to the US /Israeli war on Iran, Europe will suffer greatly in the years to come which the EU elite has a great responsibility for too.

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Gold Coins

China makes quiet gains during US-Israel war on Iran

Hamza Zaman
RealClearWire
Thu, 26 Mar 2026 20:55 UTC
China flag
© Hirose Masaki / EyeEm / Gettyimages.ru
The Iran conflict continues to protract despite President Trump's assumption of a quick and easy victory. The goals of regime change and the decimation of the Iranian ballistic missile program remain unfulfilled, and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz further adds to the strategic qualms of the Western powers. The GCC states are also facing significant damage to their services industry, transport infrastructure and energy sector. While both sides suffer great losses in this protracted conflict, America's biggest geopolitical rival - China - seems to be gaining palpable economic and strategic benefits from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Challenges to Petrodollar and Yuan's Rise against U.S. Dollar

Iranian strikes on GCC energy infrastructure, in retaliation for Israeli strikes on Iranian oil refineries and gas infrastructure, sent shockwaves through global energy supply chains. This resulted in supply chain disruptions, shortages, rationing and price hikes. These energy supplies are traded in U.S. dollars and constitute a discernible source of demand for the U.S. dollar. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz further amplifies supply chain disruption, forcing buyers to choose alternative sources, including Russia. Iran's announcement of a safe passage for oil tankers in exchange for payment in Yuan is being hailed as a direct assault on the primacy of the U.S. dollar and the petrodollar system.
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Headphones

Hungarian FM slams opposition 'bombshell' of old news gained via illegal wiretap


ReMix News
Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:17 UTC
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto
© Getty Images / Sefa Karacan/AnadoluHungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto
'They proved that I say the same publicly as I do on the phone. Nice work!' Meanwhile, the foreign-funded journalist in question potentially faces life imprisonment for espionage and treason

Last week, anti-Orban journalist Szabolcs Pannyi made headlines for claiming Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó had violated confidentiality agreements with the EU Council for speaking between meetings with his counterpart in Brussels. The problem? As foreign minister, Szijjártó speaks to counterparts in many multiple countries, as is the norm for someone in his position and presumably other council members, with colleagues being more in favor or less in favor of the aims of those discussions. The EU is a political entity that engages other political entities, even those with whom it may disagree, so the premise that one member may not do so is a tad far-fetched.

The bigger problem was that Pannyi allegedly obtained recordings of these "illegal" discussions via a very illegal wiretap, reportedly with the assistance of another EU member, rumored to be Poland, whose Foreign Minister Sikorski has long been known to be keen on replacing Orbán and whose wife is American journalist Anne Applebaum, who has long made a career of animosity towards Orbán.

Comment: Hungary has indeed been a thorn in the side of Ukraine and Brussels, being the one voice of sanity in the EU's collective madness.

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Bizarro Earth

Losing friends: AfD co-leader Chrupalla recommends US should start removing its troops from Germany


ReMix News
Tue, 31 Mar 2026 20:08 UTC
AfD's Tino Chrupalla German right wing
© AP Photo/Michael ProbstAfD's top candidate Tino Chrupalla follows the first forecasts on the outcome of the election at the Alternative for Germany party, AfD, election event in Berlin.
"Let's start implementing this program by withdrawing U.S. troops"


Comment: Subtext: "We don't want to be a target."


Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-chair Tino Chrupalla spoke out in favor of withdrawing American troops from Germany. During a party congress in Saxony, he stressed that, if AfD comes to power, this should be the first step in implementing the party's program, which calls for the removal of all allied forces from Germany and a withdrawal from NATO's nuclear weapons sharing system.

"Let's start implementing this program by withdrawing U.S. troops," he said, as reported by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, cited by Do Rzeczy.

The proposal received loud applause by the audience.

Chrupalla also argued that Germany should not be involved in international military operations, praising Spain for opposing U.S. use of its bases for its conflict with Iran.

"And that is exactly right. Spain is not interfering in this war," he said.
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Handcuffs

Dozens in custody as Iran shuts down Starlink black market network

Tyler Durden
ZeroHedge
Tue, 31 Mar 2026 19:51 UTC
iran starlink black market smuggling
Confiscated Starlink units in Iran
Bloomberg cites Iran's ISNA news agency, which says local authorities have arrested dozens of people for selling SpaceX Starlink terminals across 19 provinces.

These satellite internet terminals have become popular among opposition and activist networks operating in the country amid an ongoing nationwide internet blackout during the U.S.-Iran conflict.

Sardar Ahmad-Reza Radan, commander-in-chief of the Iranian police, was quoted by the outlet as saying, "From the beginning of the Ramadan War, 48 key members of networks, cells, anti-revolutionary groups, and espionage rings were arrested, and 139 Starlink devices were also discovered."

Comment: Iran is refusing to let the US dominate its information space. That's part of the reason the regime operation against Iran in June 2025 fizzled out.

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Attention

The Gulf's delusion: Why "destroying Iran" will backfire

Salman Rafi Sheikh
New Eastern Outlook
Tue, 31 Mar 2026 01:00 UTC
gulf war scene
© UnknownGulf War
The Gulf is asking for a war it cannot win and a peace it cannot survive. Across Western and regional media, Arab Gulf states are no longer merely supporting US strikes on Iran. They are urging Washington to go further: not to stop short, not to settle for deterrence, but to fundamentally degrade — or even eliminate — the Iranian regime as a threat.

The reason for this is what is now a widespread belief that Iran has "crossed every red line" and must be decisively neutralized. But inviting destruction is less of a strategy than a delusion.

Why the Gulf Wants Iran "Destroyed"

To understand the Gulf's position, one must take its fears seriously. For years, Iran has developed what Gulf policymakers see as a uniquely destabilizing model of power: not conventional military dominance, but networked influence through proxies, missiles, drones, and maritime disruption. Recent attacks have reinforced this perception. Gulf states now face not just a rival across the water but a threat embedded across Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon and increasingly within their own borders. The war has taken the shine off the glittery capitals. These states, for decades, relied on the US as a counterforce. However, the ongoing war has badly exposed the limits of US power in and beyond the Gulf to achieve its objectives through military means.

Comment: The bigger, broader, scarier outcome...

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Warning

Implications of a possible US ground invasion of Iran

Abbas Hashemite
New Eastern Outlook
Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00 UTC
Fighter jets
© UnknownFighter jets aboard carrier
Following Iran's strong retaliation, the United States is mulling a ground invasion of the country. However, it would have significant implications for the US.

Despite ongoing negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, the United States and Israel attacked Iran, violating international rules and norms. Most of Iran's top-level military and civilian leadership were assassinated in the US and Israeli attack on February 28, 2026. In retaliation, Iran targeted Israeli cities and its nuclear and energy infrastructure, along with key US military facilities in the region. Iran also closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global maritime oil trade, which increased global inflation as energy and oil prices surged worldwide.

Since February 28, Iran has been continuously targeting Israeli and US interests in the Middle East. Iran's strong retaliation against the United States and Israel and its closure of the Strait of Hormuz have exasperated US President Trump. Surging global inflation due to his unnecessary "war of choice," as Americans call it, has made him desperate to secure a deal over the issue of closure of the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump's frustration is evident from his simultaneous statement about continuing the war and ending it through diplomatic negotiations.

Comment: The only 'choice' is exit.

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Arrow Down

Ukrainian economy 'collapsing'

Lucas Leiroz de Almeida
Global Research
Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00 UTC
TLDR News Zelensky
© InfoBricsUkraine leader Volodymyr Zelensky
The only real solution to the Ukrainian problem is to accept the Russian peace terms. Even Ukrainian authorities are beginning to admit the serious crisis affecting the country.

Recently, the head of the Kiev regime's finance sector confirmed that the country is going through a catastrophic situation, showing deep concerns about the regime's future. This clearly shows how the nationalist junta in Kiev is rapidly destroying the country - something that could be avoided if the authorities agreed to make peace with Russia.

During a speech to the Ukrainian parliament on March 26, Daniil Getmantsev, chairman of the Finance, Tax and Customs Committee of the Verkhovna Rada, said that Ukraine is indebted and unable to pay all the expenses accumulated since the beginning of the conflict. He expressed concerns about the future of the Ukrainian economy and "sovereignty," considering the country's growing debts with major global financial institutions.

Getmantsev primarily denounced the country's debts to the EU, the IMF, and the World Bank. He emphasized that Ukraine is already indebted to these organizations and does not appear to be in a position to repay this debt anytime soon. Therefore, the tendency is for the country to continue contracting more loans and becoming increasingly indebted.
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Attention

Gaming the Iran war and the Gaza Genocide Syndrome

Robin Andersen
Mondoweiss
Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00 UTC
Hegseth
© DoW/U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Alexander KubitzaSecretary of War Pete Hegseth • Arsenal of Freedom Tour • Camden, Ark. • Feb. 27, 2026
Over the past 25 years, the U.S. has used "militainment," the merging of media and war, to hide the realities of death and destruction. But the Gaza genocide has now made such propaganda impossible, which Trump and Hegseth are discovering with Iran.
"By God, we've kicked the Vietnam syndrome once and for all."
- March 1, 1991, George H.W. Bush
With those words then President George H.W. Bush asserted that after the debacle of Vietnam, the First Persian Gulf war had reinvigorated a new war mentality that asserted the American military, once again, held global dominance.

Trump and his coterie have taken such overconfidence to new heights of braggadocio, evident in the words of the former Fox News personality, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who speaks about bombing Iran as if it were a boxing match. "We are punching them while they're down, which is exactly how it should be."
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