00:00Dear friends, ladies and gentlemen, it has been 11 days since the Middle East was plunged into
00:05a deepening conflict that shows no signs of resolution. Today, the situation has taken a
00:10dramatic turn. French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a military operation in the Strait
00:16of Hormuz, following Iran's threat to close the Strait to oil tanker traffic. In response,
00:21the United States has threatened military strikes against Iran at a scale 20 times
00:26greater than current operations if the Strait is closed. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir
00:31Putin appears to be in a difficult position, limited to a phone call with Donald Trump,
00:36urging him to halt the war in Iran. President Trump, however, has reportedly stated that the
00:41war will only end if Iran surrenders. To get a clearer picture of the situation on the ground,
00:47we turn to our correspondent. There is a report that the French President wants to open a mask
00:52on the shores of the Himalayas, but first explain how France is preparing to intervene in the Strait
00:57of Hormuz. For the question, regarding France's involvement, their planned operation is a direct
01:03response to the highly alarming situation in the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait is currently a zone of
01:08intense conflict. The United States has confirmed that over 40 Iranian warships have been attacked.
01:14In retaliation, Iran has ordered strikes on two as owned oil tankers,
01:18one in the Gulf of Cyprus and another in the Red Sea. As a result, the Strait of Hormuz is
01:24effectively
01:25under blockade and closed to traffic, with more than 68 oil tankers reported to be on fire.
01:31This has stranded up to 100 tankers that were scheduled to deliver oil to major Asian economies,
01:37including China, Japan, South Korea and India. These vessels, carrying an estimated 16 billion
01:44barrels of oil, are now stuck. This immediate crisis has sent shockwaves through global markets,
01:49with oil prices surging to over $100 a barrel on Monday, a near two-fold increase.
01:55There are also growing concerns about a potential environmental disaster from oil spills.
02:00In response, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a joint military operation with allies
02:06aimed at freeing the stranded tankers. However, he also noted that diplomatic efforts are underway.
02:11The latest escalation between the US, Israel, and Iran is expected to be a key topic 27 finance
02:18ministers meet on Monday. Potential solutions being discussed include releasing strategic
02:23oil reserves to stabilise the market. As stated by the President, France is preparing to deploy
02:28significant naval assets to the Persian Gulf, including two warships and two aircraft carriers
02:33with their support vessels. How does the US plan to intervene in the strait,
02:37given it is already involved in attacking Iran? This question gets to the heart of the conflict.
02:43The strait of Hormuz is incredibly narrow, just 21km wide, yet it is the world's fifth busiest
02:49waterway, through which 20% of the world's oil passes. As mentioned, this vital artery is now
02:55under Iranian influence. National Security Council Secretary Mr Lara has outlined to start options for the
03:01strait. It can be a port of stability and prosperity for the Middle East and the world,
03:06or a port of pain for the warlords, a clear warning aimed at the United States.
03:11This follows the Islamic revolution's attack on Iraq's own tanker. The stakes are incredibly high.
03:17Officials have warned that if the Oz and its allies continue this game,
03:21oil prices could spiral cut to over $200 a barrel.
03:24On Monday, a statement from Lakhzari IGC declared that not a single grain of rice would be allowed to
03:31leave the strait. In response, President Trump has declared the strait open for navigation,
03:36with the Oz providing $20 billion in insurance to guarantee the safety of oil tankers. Furthermore,
03:42he has threatened a retaliatory strike 20 times greater than current actions if Iran blocks the
03:47oil shipments. It is important to note that President Trump's stance also impacts China,
03:52a major buyer of Iranian goods, including rice. The blockade initiated by Iran now prevents the trade.
04:00We now turn to the broader geopolitical consequences, starting with Russia's reaction.
04:05Russia's reaction to the Oz strikes on Iran has been one of condemnation,
04:09calling the action a violation of international law and describing the assassination of Iranian leaders
04:15as very harsh. Despite this, Russia is positioning itself as a potential mediator.
04:20This is due to its unique position of having restored two eyes with the Oz under Donald Trump,
04:26maintaining good relations with Israel's Netanyahu, while also being a close ally of Iran.
04:31The primary concern for Russia, which was echoed in the phone call between Putin and Trump,
04:35is the impact of the Gulf escalation on global oil markets and production.
04:40On Monday, President Trump's aide, Yuri Ushakov,
04:43described the call between the two leaders as honest and very positive.
04:47The White House also signaled that India could continue importing oil from Russia without
04:52phasing of sanctions, framing Russia as a very good partner in the region.
04:56In fact, Russia stands to be a major beneficiary of this crisis. Reports have emerged of a leaked
05:02conversation where an aide advised President Trump that European nations should reconsider their position,
05:08as Russia is the world's second largest oil producer and a major rival to Mr. Putin's influence.
05:13This leak, picked up by us and European media, suggests Russia is asking the Trump administration
05:19to ease sanctions, allowing Russian oil to flow freely to stabilize the global market.
05:25The war in Iran is effectively providing Russia with relief from the sanctions it has faced for over
05:30four years, especially as European countries, which had been working to eliminate their dependence on
05:35Russian oil and gas by 2027, now face a new and pressing energy crisis.
05:40front of the two decades.
05:41The war is a lot of her life in the Ukraine, and then the war will not be failed.
05:41The war has ended up in the war now, and the war is still a new issue of the war.
Comments