Assessing the Weekly News
Week 16 [2026/03/14-2026/03/20]
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Every Monday, the CERESE publishes the assessment of the previous week’s news by the Research Trainees:
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The most important event of the week is the announcements from Iran regarding the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Specifically, between 12 and 16 March, Iranian officials stated that the ships owned by the US, Israel, and their allies are “legitimate targets”, leading to a global increase in oil prices. The countries of the Persian Gulf cannot export their oil to international markets, resulting in increased product prices. Furthermore, the ongoing mutual bombardments between Iran and Israel lead to a new phase of escalation, while the President of the US has stated that an intervention on the ground cannot be ruled out. This rhetoric constitutes a clear escalation, even if not implemented.
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The aforementioned opinions are those of their respective authors and they do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the Institute of International Relations or its Researchers.
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