A monstrously comprehensive nearly three hour long episode of @thedigradio.bsky.social examining the economic warfare dimensions of the US-Israeli war on Iran and Iran’s asymmetric response with Aslı Bâli, @yarbatman.bsky.social, and Nicholas Mulder. www.thedigradio.com/podcast/econ...
Interesting piece by @yarbatman.bsky.social who does the math on the Iranian Shahed-136 drones. He concludes the production cost of one Shahed is not $35,000, as is often cited, but roughly $7,000.
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/cos...
Come for the discussion trying to get to the bottom of how much an Iranian drone costs to make and stay for the discussion of how the sanctions regime has fostered a massive and surprisingly nimble domestic manufacturing base in Iran:
“The US and Israel have tried to try to make the conduct of war too ‘expensive’ for Iran. As this war of choice engulfs the region and the global economy, it is imperative to understand how ‘cheap’ a war can now be.”
@yarbatman.bsky.social on the Shahed-136
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/cos...
The Shahed-136 is a cheap weapon. But it’s much cheaper than most reports suggest.
In this new analysis, @yarbatman.bsky.social compares production costs in the US and Iran to come up with a better estimate for the cost of a Shahed: $7,000.
www.phenomenalworld.org/analysis/cos...
Fascinating piece in @phenomenalworld.bsky.social by @yarbatman.bsky.social on the actual production costs of the Shahed-136:
I don't think it's quite right to say that the Shahed-136 is the AK-47 of states, but it's the analogy that came to my mind when reading this.
By @yarbatman.bsky.social via @adamtooze.bsky.social
Special - War in the Gulf and the Global Economy w/ @yarbatman.bsky.social
Derek speaks with Esfandyar Batmanghelidj about the economic effects of the Iran war.
Available for all listeners now! Link in the replies.
Après plus de trois ans de sanctions, l’effondrement industriel russe n’a pas eu lieu.
En ciblant les usines ennemies, l'Ukraine «sanctionne par drones» — seule manière de déjouer la cannibalisation industrielle.
@yarbatman.bsky.social explique cette résilience.
legrandcontinent.eu/fr/2025/11/2...
Thanks for the kind words!
This is by far the most thoughtful discussion about the failed diplomacy around Iran’s nuclear program. Reflective and careful, unlike so much of the hot air, vibes, and guess work we are offered. Thanks @yarbatman.bsky.social
Bonus - The Death of the Iran Deal w/
@yarbatman.bsky.social
Esfandyar Batmanghelidj is back on the show with Derek to break down how the Iran nuclear deal broke down, and where things go from here.
Link below ⤵️
'[Iran] was moving in a better direction, pushed and pulled by 90 million souls yearning for greater security, prosperity and liberty ... Israel’s attacks demonstrate a contempt not just for life, but also a contempt for the agency and aspirations of the Iranian people.' - @yarbatman.bsky.social
The Iranian people were starting to win their battle for liberty and prosperity. Then Israel attacked.
@yarbatman.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
"Israel’s attacks demonstrate a contempt not just for life, but also a contempt for the agency and aspirations of the Iranian people. They did not want this war and they were pushing their leaders to avoid it."
Important read from my friend @yarbatman.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
It’s neither far fetched nor conspiratorial to consider that ultimately, *this* is the underlying reason Netanyahu chose to strike now:
The Iranian people were starting to win their battle for liberty and prosperity. Then Israel attacked. @yarbatman.bsky.social
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This is a great piece from @veenaa.bsky.social on the prospects for civil nuclear cooperation between the US and Iran. For a new US-Iran deal to be transformative, it will require the two sides to find areas for deep technical cooperation, like nuclear energy.
foreignpolicy.com/2025/05/22/i...
Spoke to @sgreports.bsky.social about why Iran’s leaders are pursuing nuclear talks even if they believe they can “resist” Trump’s maximum pressure.
It’s the pace of development that matters. Under sanctions, Iran is being left behind by its regional peers.
www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/0...
The Trump administration has issued GL 25, effectively lifting sanctions on Syria in a single executive action.
This is an extraordinary move. USG has historically approached sanctions relief with complicated, incremental methods.
This one big step could make a big difference.
Many thanks to @boursebazaar.bsky.social ( @yarbatman.bsky.social and Henna Moussavi) for publishing!
Trump’s promise to lift sanctions gave Syrians hope for relief in a dire economy. But lifting sanctions is just the first step towards rebuilding Syria. As Nancy Ezzeddine writes, policymakers must see sanctions relief as “an entry point, not an end point.”
www.bourseandbazaar.org/articles/202...
Bill Luers was a fundamentally optimistic diplomat and I admired him for it.
He once told me that optimism is what kept him in his profession "for so many decades." It is also what drove his remarkable work on US-Iran relations.
He will be missed.
www.nytimes.com/2025/05/11/u...
As the Taliban tries to attract foreign investment, it's pitching Afghanistan as a regional transit hub.
In this analysis for @boursebazaar.bsky.social, Nargiza Umarova looks at the range of road and rail projects being pursued by Afghanistan's neighbors.
www.bourseandbazaar.org/articles/202...
My thoughts on how the US and Iran can make deeper economic relations a cornerstone of a new nuclear deal.
Iran presents a unique opportunity for Trump. It is a major economy with which the US could run large and persistent trade surpluses.
www.bourseandbazaar.org/articles/202...
Iran is a uniquely large and open market for American exporters—perhaps the last major economy in the world where the US could reasonably overtake China as an industrial partner.
My reflections on how a new nuclear deal can be a *business* deal for Trump:
www.bourseandbazaar.org/articles/202...
Iraq's Sudani met with Syria's al-Sharaa today.
The meeting marks the latest step as Iraq begins to adjust its Syria policy, cautiously extending a hand to the new leadership in Damascus.
Francesco Schiavi details the factors shaping Iraq's Syria policy.
www.bourseandbazaar.org/articles/202...
On the @dropsitenews.com podcast with @mazmhussain.bsky.social about…
The president’s unchecked authority to start economic wars
The dangerous way US economic policy is now a subset of national security policy
The impact of Trump’s tariffs on de-dollarization
www.dropsitenews.com/p/trump-decl...
Last month, @boursebazaar.bsky.social convened Syrian civil society actors, sanctions experts, and European officials for an important workshop.
In this piece, my colleague Nancy Ezzeddine explains what was discussed and why Syria must remain a priority.
www.bourseandbazaar.org/articles/202...
