Strait of shock: Iran economic fallout

<p>Overnight, the Pentagon said it “eliminated” 16 Iranian mine-laying ships, raising further jitters about the <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/03/10/donald-trumps-options-to-cool-oil-prices-are-sorely-limited?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">global impact</a> of the war in Iran. Fifteen years after a tsunami caused the <a href="https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/03/02/fifteen-years-after-fukushima-japan-faces-an-energy-dilemma?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Fukushima nuclear disaster</a>, Japan is restarting reactors. And our correspondent meets <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2026/02/27/amid-the-war-a-tale-of-moral-reckoning-in-iran-is-fiercely-urgent?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jafar Panahi</a>, the Iranian director whose film is nominated for two Oscars this weekend.</p><br><p>Guests and host:</p><ul><li>Rachana Shanbhogue, business and finance editor</li><li>Noah Sneider, East Asia bureau chief</li><li>Andrew Miller, “Back Story” columnist</li><li>Rosie Blau, host of “The Intelligence”</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Topics covered:&nbsp;</p><ul><li>Iran, oil prices, Donald Trump, Strait of Hormuz, Brent crude, International Energy Agency, Russia</li><li>Japan, nuclear, Fukushima, tepco</li><li>Oscars, “It Was Just An Accident”, Jafar Panahi</li></ul><p><br></p><p><em>Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—</em><a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</em></a></p><br><p><em>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our </em><a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>FAQs page</em></a><em> or watch </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>our video</em></a><em> explaining how to link your account. </em></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>