What connects a Greek prime minister’s contingency planning, Indian tankers fleeing the Persian Gulf, rising condom prices in Britain, and a political crisis in Lima? The answer is a single geopolitical shock — the escalation of the US-Israeli conflict with Iran — whose consequences are radiating outward through every artery of the global economy.
Energy is the common thread. When the Strait of Hormuz tightens, everything from airline tickets to household products gets more expensive. Governments scramble to secure supply. Political leaders either sound alarms or exploit the crisis for advantage. And ordinary consumers, from Kerala to Costa Rica, pay the price.
The question now is whether the diplomatic track — fragile truces in Lebanon, cautious talks in Washington — can hold before the economic damage becomes irreversible.
