On the positive side your report suggests Iran, Iraq, Houthis and US are so far exercising some restraint. Hopefully the Lebanese govt will get their Hezbollah groups disarmed or under some kind of control. If son Khamenei is or recently was in a coma, one wonders who is managing his auto-pen. It seems quite likely there are semi independent areas of control in Iran, some of whom might still be lobbing a few drones at places like Kuwait and Bahrain. In fact, one of the big problems faced by negotiators may be damaged and lacking communication within Iran.
Statements coming from Iran regarding maintaining a payment of tolls to transit Hormuz have people thinking of alternate routes, including a canal across that spit of land thrust into the Gulf. A response from AI indicates that route is economically impractical because of mountains as high as 9,000 feet, and lack of water to float a boat. Below are other AI possible solutions as long term alternatives if Iran is unreasonably greedy.
“* Strategic and Geopolitical Risks:
—Relocated Vulnerability: While the canal would bypass the narrowest part of the Strait, ships would still pass through the Gulf of Oman, which is within range of conventional Iranian missile/drone attacks.
—Fixed Target: Unlike ships that can move, canal locks and infrastructure are static targets that are easily attacked or sabotaged during a conflict.
—Political Coordination: Building it requires complex cooperation between the UAE and Oman, including navigating the internal logistics of the rugged Musandam Peninsula.
* Alternatives to a Canal:
Experts suggest that expanding existing, lower-cost infrastructure is a more viable solution to Hormuz dependency:
—Pipelines: Expanding pipelines like the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (ADCOP) and Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline (Petroline) is far cheaper and faster than building a canal.
—Strategic Storage: Increasing oil storage capacity at the port of Fujairah, outside the strait, offers increased energy security with lower capital investment.
==Conclusion: The project is a “dream” to redesign geography that is held back by the “stubborn” reality of mountains and insurmountable costs.”
Personally I hope someone has a well hidden plan to arm and assist the freedom loving Iranians gain their objectives for which so many have already paid a tremendous price.