Recently, there is an issue worth a deep discussion—the true background of the US-Iran conflict is much more complex than surface news.

On the surface, it appears to be a nuclear weapons issue, but the root of this war is deeper. Tracing back to 1953, the CIA orchestrated a coup to overthrow Prime Minister Mosaddegh, aiming to control Iran’s oil. The Islamic Revolution in 1979 reversed everything, turning Iran from a US ally into an adversary, and regional conflicts escalated accordingly.

Nuclear issues only surfaced later. The JCPOA agreement in 2015 froze Iran’s nuclear program, but Trump withdrew from it in 2018, reigniting the uranium enrichment race. Now, Iran has stockpiled over 400 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium—approaching weapons-grade, enough to produce multiple nuclear warheads. The US sees this window closing, as evidenced by the collapse of the Geneva nuclear negotiations, showing no room for compromise between the two sides.

But there is a bigger chess game here—energy. Iran controls 2.08 trillion barrels of oil and 1,200 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. More critically, it controls the Strait of Hormuz, a passageway carrying 20% of the world’s oil flow, with 20 million barrels passing daily. If Iran possesses nuclear weapons, its control over energy flows would exponentially increase, directly driving up global inflation, transportation costs, and market volatility.

Therefore, the root of the US-Iran war is not just nuclear weapons, but who controls the global energy lifeline. Iran’s responses—attacking US military bases in Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, and others—have also prompted reactions from Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries. Once Arab nations are fully involved, regional alliances will be completely reshaped.

On the market level, this is no longer just about geopolitical risk but a precursor to a global energy crisis. Oil prices, transportation costs, inflation expectations—all will trigger chain reactions. Some are still watching nuclear negotiations, but the real players are focused on the struggle for energy control.