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...

Economic Warfare w/ Aslı Bâli, Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, Nicholas Mulder

Featuring Aslı Bâli, Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, and Nicholas Mulder on the economic warfare unfolding with the US-Israeli war on Iran—and beyond.

thedigradio.com

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...

Drones Like Bicycles | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj

Assessing the cost of a Shahed kamikaze drone

phenomenalworld.org

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:

Drones Like Bicycles | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj

Assessing the cost of a Shahed kamikaze drone

phenomenalworld.org

“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...

Drones Like Bicycles | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj

Assessing the cost of a Shahed kamikaze drone

phenomenalworld.org

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...

Drones Like Bicycles | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj

Assessing the cost of a Shahed kamikaze drone

phenomenalworld.org

Fascinating piece in @phenomenalworld.bsky.social by @yarbatman.bsky.social on the actual production costs of the Shahed-136:

Drones Like Bicycles | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj

Assessing the cost of a Shahed kamikaze drone

phenomenalworld.org

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

Drones Like Bicycles | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj

Assessing the cost of a Shahed kamikaze drone

phenomenalworld.org

The war is jeopardizing the massive flow of energy and goods passing through the Gulf economies.

The Iran War Is Jeopardizing the Entire Global Economy

The fallout from conflict in the Gulf will be much bigger than just oil.

foreignpolicy.com

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.

More great analysis on Iran’s economy from @yarbatman.bsky.social.

What Iran Needs is a New Social Revolution — Bourse & Bazaar Foundation

Alongside their political rights, Iranians are demanding economic opportunity and social dignity.

bourseandbazaar.org

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...

Russie : les sanctions n’ont pas détruit l’industrie de Poutine

Après plus de trois ans de sanctions contre Moscou, il faut se rendre à l’évidence : l’effondrement de l’industrie russe n’a pas eu lieu. En frappant les usines sur le territoire ennemi, l'Ukraine p...

legrandcontinent.eu

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

Why Sanctions on Iran 'Snapped Back'

Podcast Episode · The Sanctions Age · S2, E10 Bonus · 1h 15m

podcasts.apple.com

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 | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj

Something was shifting in Iran, but now missiles and the return of foreign interference may tear up the green shoots of progress, says Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundatio...

theguardian.com

The Iranian people were starting to win their battle for liberty and prosperity. Then Israel attacked. @yarbatman.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

The Iranian people were starting to win their battle for liberty and prosperity. Then Israel attacked | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj

Something was shifting in Iran, but now missiles and the return of foreign interference may tear up the green shoots of progress, says Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundatio...

theguardian.com

"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...

The Iranian people were starting to win their battle for liberty and prosperity. Then Israel attacked | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj

Something was shifting in Iran, but now missiles and the return of foreign interference may tear up the green shoots of progress, says Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundatio...

theguardian.com

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...

The Iranian people were starting to win their battle for liberty and prosperity. Then Israel attacked | Esfandyar Batmanghelidj

Something was shifting in Iran, but now missiles and the return of foreign interference may tear up the green shoots of progress, says Esfandyar Batmanghelidj, founder of the Bourse & Bazaar Foundatio...

theguardian.com

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...

Could Iranian Nukes Be a Business Opportunity for the U.S.?

The Iranian foreign minister dangles U.S. investment in reactors as a win-win.

foreignpolicy.com

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...

On streets of Tehran, Iranians describe daily struggles and cautious hopes

Washington Post interviews with people across Tehran offered a rare window into the lives and economic frustrations of the country’s urban middle class.

washingtonpost.com

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!

Bourse & Bazaar Foundation@boursebazaar.bsky.social · last yr.

As USAID pulls back from Central Asia, some regional leaders are welcoming the change. In her latest for the Bourse and Bazaar blog, Anna Jordanova unpacks why this could be a turning point for local governance and diplomacy. www.bourseandbazaar.org/articles/202... #CentralAsia #development #aid

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...

Sanctions Relief Won't Suffice for Syria’s Teetering Economy — Bourse & Bazaar Foundation

To rebuild Syria’s broken economy, Western policymakers must treat the moment of sanctions relief as an entry point, not an endpoint.

bourseandbazaar.org

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...

William H. Luers, Diplomat Who Backed Czech Dissident Leader, Dies at 95

nytimes.com

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...

Afghan Authorities Accelerate Push for Road and Rail Projects — Bourse & Bazaar Foundation

As the Taliban government pursues an assertive policy to enhance Afghanistan’s logistical infrastructure, interest in the country’s role as a southern transit hub is gaining momentum across West Asia.

bourseandbazaar.org

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...

How Trump Can Strike Gold for America in Iran — Bourse & Bazaar Foundation

Trump loves gold. If he remains pragmatic and focused when it comes to Iran, he could strike gold in several ways.

bourseandbazaar.org

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...

How Trump Can Strike Gold for America in Iran — Bourse & Bazaar Foundation

Trump loves gold. If he remains pragmatic and focused when it comes to Iran, he could strike gold in several ways.

bourseandbazaar.org

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...

Iraq Begins to Adjust to Syria’s Post-Assad Reality — Bourse & Bazaar Foundation

Iraqi leaders must assess if their new Syrian counterparts can be reliable partners and whether deeper political and economic cooperation can be pursued.

bourseandbazaar.org

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...

Prospects for Syrian Civil Society Remain Dim While Sanctions Linger — Bourse & Bazaar Foundation

Without tangible sanctions relief, Syrian civil society organisations will struggle to play a meaningful role in the country’s constitutional reform, local governance, or transitional justice efforts.

bourseandbazaar.org

Spoke to @amirdaftari.bsky.social about the US-Iran talks. I explained that Iran is looking at recent moves by the US administration, such as the critical minerals deal pushed on Ukraine, and recognizing that Trump wants a business deal, not just a nuclear deal. www.newsweek.com/iran-leader-...

Iran leader open to US investment in win for Trump

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says that American "investors are welcome to invest in our country."

newsweek.com