Iran
CENTRAL ASIA BLOG: Taliban’s lousy power deals exposed as Uzbekistan pulls plug in deadly cold
Partly thanks to infrastructure projects blown up by the militants while they were trying to turf out the US, Afghanistan dependent on neighbours for 73% of electricity.
Hawkish Iran helped stop larger Azerbaijani attacks says Armenia
As heavily armed Baku turns screw on Yerevan in ongoing confrontation, Tehran’s position is described as “music to Armenia’s ears”.
Ukraine’s mocking of Iran over drone attack on military factory irks Tehran
Ukrainian diplomat summoned. Moscow warns “such destructive actions could have unpredictable consequences for peace and stability in the Middle East”.
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Ukraine official tweets ‘Did warn you’ after drone attack in Iran
Some reports say Israel behind mission. Kyiv has previously warned Tehran there could be payback for its provision of kamikaze drones to Russia.
Gunman storms Azerbaijan’s Tehran embassy, kills head of security
Video shows attacker breaking into guard post armed with Kalashnikov assault rifle. Baku not happy with Tehran's explanation of events.
Big freeze that was feared by gas hungry Europe hits Central Asia, Iran
Tales of families sleeping in cars that are warmer than homes as cold front brings sub-zero temperatures not experienced in half a century.
‘Yesterday’s strategy won’t do’ in Europe’s approach to Iran says Carnegie analyst
Cornelius Adebahr point to signs of power struggle within Tehran’s elite. Several insiders have in recent weeks argued in favour of more substantial reforms to address protesters’ grievances.
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PANNIER: You won’t catch Turkmenistan putting all its eggs in one (Russian) basket
Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov’s visit to Beijing may not have secured more gas sales, but it did serve to reaffirm ties with the country’s only stable major partner.
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Tehran expects Russia to deliver Su-35 fighters in two months says Iranian MP
Analyst has warned “ambitious barter” in return for Iranian drones and probably missiles “manifests a grim calculus for the West”. It is facing a “more aggressive and hostile axis than ever”.
TEHRAN BLOG: Dizzying descent of rial gives rise to ‘Farzin & Khandoozi’
New central bank chief and economy minister are apparently grappling with a sinister “man in Istanbul” who’s pulling levers on Iran’s FX market.
NEMETHY: Key economic and financial drivers to watch in 2023
There is an old joke that the role of economic forecasters is to make astrologers look good. Forecasting GDP or inflation for the upcoming year with any degree of accuracy is virtually impossible, but there are some scary signs appearing.
bneGREEN: Record 2022 for coal threatens green targets
World coal consumption reached a new high in 2022 before levelling out in 2023 and 2024, with rising usage in emerging Asian countries cancelling out falling demand in advanced economies.
Mutual FDI in Eurasia has been dominated by Russia, but war and sanctions make the outlook uncertain
Mutual FDI stock in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries grew fast until Russia went into recession in 2012, when its GDP growth sank to zero. However, it soon started to recover, with Russia playing the leading role in the region.
Tehran faces severe water crisis with reservoirs only 14% full
Head of national climate and drought crisis management centre hits out at “gross mistake” of officials announcing new home building plans in a city running out of water.
Britain reportedly to designate Iran’s IRGC as terrorist
Move appears to be response to arrest by Iranian regime of seven people with links to UK amid anti-government protests.
Russia’s VTB bank defies US sanctions on Iran with cross-border Iranian rials transfers
VTB has announced it will launch cross-border bank transfers in Iranian rials, in direct contravention of US sanctions, Kommersant newspaper reported.
PANNIER: How Putin may have leant on Turkmenistan to spike gas-for-Europe plan
President Berdimuhamedov may have put Turkish counterpart Erdogan’s nose out of joint by shelving pipeline interconnector proposal.
Apocalypse 2050: World on course for 15% GDP fall
The world is set to see global GDP plummet by a catastrophic 15% by 2050 if current emissions trends are not reined in and global warming reaches 2.2°C by 2050.
Start of a new super cycle – fat and flat for 2023?
The global economy has been through some enormous changes in recent years, leading investors and analysts to believe we are at the start of a new high-inflation, lower-growth super-cycle that could last for as long as a decade.
IMF: Global food prices to remain elevated amid war, costly energy, La Niña.
Interest rate hikes have eased price pressures, but the weather, war and material costs could keep food prices elevated for longer,
