Part 5/10:
Contrasting the relative stability of Southeast Asia, the Persian Gulf emerges as a prime candidate for route disruption. The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow chokepoint, is critically important—supplying around 20 million barrels of crude oil daily to global markets. Given regional tensions and the limited naval reach of Gulf countries, Zahhan assesses the risk that Iran, Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, or even the UAE could temporarily or permanently block this artery.