The tensions between Iran and the United States just seem be increasing by the day. Just days after the two countries held talks in Geneva to avoid further conflict, reports from the US military have come out about possible strikes against the Islamic Republic as soon as this weekend.
According to CNN, sources have said that “The White House has been briefed that the military could be ready for an attack by the weekend, after a significant buildup in recent days of air and naval assets in the Middle East.”
CBS News first reported the news about a discussion held by top administration national security officials in the White House Situation Room about Iran on Wednesday.
The timeline is very murky, and it doesn’t mean that anything will be decided by the weekend or be pushed past it even. However, the stressful relations between Iran and the US are definitely cause for worry, not just for the two countries but on a global level as well.
Here are some ways that, as per experts, the world would be affected if the US decides to attack Iran:
Global Economy And Oil Prices
Iran sits near the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil passes. If Iran retaliated by disrupting shipping lanes, even temporarily, global oil prices could spike dramatically. Analysts have warned that Brent crude could surge past previous highs, reigniting inflationary pressures worldwide.
A CBS News report pointed out how a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude oil increased by 2.6% to $66.71, which is already a 16% increase since the beginning of the year.
Capital Economics analysts in a recent research note said, “If [Iran’s] oil infrastructure is hit and oil supplies are affected … we suspect that oil prices could rise towards $100 per barrel, especially as that would raise the probability that Iran attempts to block shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz.”
This could result in inflation occurring not just in the US, but across various global markets as well.
According to an ORF report, “Energy-intensive sectors like manufacturing, aviation, and shipping would feel the brunt, rendering countries heavily reliant on Gulf energy—India, China, Japan, and many EU member states—into major energy security dilemmas.”
An Al Jazeera report also stated that if “Iran attacks shipping in the Strait of Hormuz or Gulf energy infrastructure, there would be a spike in global oil and gas prices, exacerbating market volatility, inflationary pressure from higher energy costs, and a knock-on effect for fragile economies.”
Another Al Jazeera report from June 2025 added how an increase in oil prices could “push the cost of production up, eventually affecting consumer prices – especially for energy-intensive goods like food, clothing and chemicals.”
Read More: Why We Could Be On The Verge Of World War 3
Economic Shockwaves Beyond Oil
The impact would not be confined to energy markets. Insurance premiums for shipping through the Gulf would surge. Global supply chains, already strained in recent years, could face renewed bottlenecks.
Countries heavily dependent on Gulf energy imports, including India, Japan, and South Korea, would confront rising costs. Manufacturing sectors reliant on petrochemicals could see price spikes. Airlines would face higher fuel costs, potentially increasing ticket prices worldwide.
Tariffs and sanctions regimes could also expand. A broader conflict might prompt the US to tighten sanctions not only on Iran but also on entities doing business with Tehran. Secondary sanctions could strain US relations with European and Asian partners, complicating trade diplomacy.
US President Donald Trump had even issued an executive order on February 6, 2026, about how countries that continued to trade with Iran would face additional tariffs. The order stated that these tariffs could apply to goods imported into the US from any nation that “directly or indirectly purchases, imports, or otherwise acquires any goods or services from Iran”.
Earlier in January, Trump, in a Truth Social post, wrote, “Effective immediately, any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America.”
Global Intervention
Iran, unlike Afghanistan, is not without strong allies that need it to remain in power. Countries like Russia and China, Iran is a very beneficial country, with the former having recently entered deals regarding military and energy sectors and for the latter being important for its Belt and Road Initiative.
As per an ORF report, “Should the US strike, Russia is unlikely to intervene directly but could open indirect fronts: carrying out cyberattacks on Western infrastructure, causing financial disruptions, or activating proxies in Syria, thus raising the costs of US action without triggering full-scale confrontation.”
China, as well, could indirectly help from the economic side by “disrupt supply chains, leverage oil markets, and isolate US efforts in multilateral forums.”
Humanitarian Crisis
The conflict could also result in regime change, but the outcome might not be ideal. A collapse of central authority could give rise to revolutionary groups. As per a BBC analysis, there is “the possibility of civil war, ethnic unrest involving Kurds and Baluchis, and a humanitarian crisis in a country of more than 90 million people.”
Analysts at the Atlantic Council also raised concerns that, unless there is an organised opposition, then a toppling of the current regime could incidentally create more chaos and instability than lead the country toward democracy.
Image Credits: Google Images
Sources: CNN, Reuters, The Washington Post
Find the blogger: @chirali_08
This post is tagged under: Iran, us Iran, us Iran attack, Iran US fight, war, world war, world war 3, global politics, geopolitics, International Relations, Global security, global tensions
Disclaimer: We do not own any rights or copyrights to the images used; these images have been sourced from Google. If you require credits or wish to request removal, please contact us via email.
