The shadow war: Confronting Iran’s playbook

I have spent years on the ground across the corridors that shape global power — Africa, the Middle East, and Asia — working not just with executives and policymakers, but with the truck drivers, the field operators, and the logistics crews who keep energy flowing to us.

I have sat with regional leaders, spoken directly with those managing national budgets, and watched firsthand how energy is weaponized.

What emerges is not theory, but a hard reality: Oil is no longer just a commodity. It is the backbone of covert warfare, black financing, and strategic leverage. And at the center of this shadow system sits Iran.

TEHRAN’S ART OF THE DEAL: A SLOW CREEP, AND BEFORE YOU NOTICE, IT’S TOO LATE

With extraction costs often in the range of $8 to $10 per barrel, Iran possesses one of the lowest-cost production profiles in the world. That margin creates enormous flexibility. Even under sanctions,