Prof. Isa Blumi: Iran, Yemen & Is the Gulf About to Break Apart? | EP 148

In Episode 148 of the Kianistan Podcast, historian Professor Isa Blumi of Stockholm University returns to break down the war between Iran and the United States, the fight over the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia's new campaign against Ansarullah in Yemen, and why he believes the borders of West Asia and the Gulf are being redrawn in front of us.If you enjoy the show, you can support it here: buymeacoffee.com/tafhimkianzProfessor Blumi argues that much of what we are watching is theatre: Trump's statements about the Strait of Hormuz move markets within seconds, algorithmic trading does the rest, and profits are made long before anyone checks whether the claim was even true. From there we get into the harder question — why isn't Iran fighting back in the narrative war, and are there factions inside Iran who would actually benefit from its failure?We also go deep into infrastructure and trade corridors: why pipelines and railways are quietly replacing shipping lanes, what that means for chokepoints like Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab, how China's rail network now reaches Europe in 12-14 days, where Gwadar and the Karakoram Highway fit in, and why the North-South corridor through Azerbaijan is such a problem for Tehran. Professor Blumi explains how Gulf oil and gas may increasingly be routed to the Eastern Mediterranean, and what that means for Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, Turkey and Israel.On the Gulf, he explains why he thinks Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and even Saudi Arabia are facing an existential moment - collapsing revenue, the failure of NEOM, the succession fight around Mohammed bin Salman, and a "Mecca agreement" he argues is neither an alliance nor a real defence pact. On Yemen, he breaks down the troop build-ups in Ma'rib and Mocha, foreign fighters arriving from Sudan, Colombia and Syria, and Ansarullah's "siege for siege" doctrine that has left Saudi infrastructure exposed.Finally, he makes the case that Turkey and Israel have never really been enemies, that sectarian politics has run its course, and that the real contest ahead is between corporations, warlords and supply chains rather than sovereign states.CHAPTERS00:00 Welcome and Introducing Professor Isa Blumi01:12 Trump Claims the Strait of Hormuz02:41 Why Isn't Iran Fighting the Narrative War03:59 Rigged Markets, War Profiteering and Divided Power in Iran09:30 Is Iran Still at Risk of Being Broken Apart11:06 Pipelines, Supply Chains and the Future of Sovereign States14:20 Trade Corridors: China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan16:39 Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab: The Fight Over Chokepoints19:16 China's Railways, Gwadar and the Karakoram Highway20:26 Why Ships Are Losing to Pipelines and Drones22:27 Azerbaijan, Israel and the North-South Corridor Problem25:06 BlackRock, Warlords and Who Really Controls the Oil27:02 Time Is on My Side: Trump's Hormuz Gamble29:02 Gulf States Running Out of Money: Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, UAE36:04 US Navy Retreat, Diego Garcia and Disgruntled Sailors37:51 Tough Talk vs Reality and the Split Inside Iran40:06 Patriotism, Corruption and Sabotage Inside Iran44:47 Yemen: Why Saudi Arabia Picked a Fight With Ansarullah46:22 Troop Build-Ups in Ma'rib, Mocha and the Taiz Front48:28 Foreign Fighters From Sudan, Colombia and Syria50:06 Siege for Siege: Ansarullah's New Doctrine52:50 MBS, Succession and Can Saudi Arabia Survive55:31 Red Sea Pressure, Pakistani Troops and Turkey's Arms Boom56:59 What Is the Mecca Agreement, Really60:45 Is Turkey-Israel Hostility Just Theatre63:30 Kuwait and Qatar Run Out of Options64:57 The End of Sectarianism as a Political Tool65:25 Where to Find Professor Blumi's Work and Books