The , Iran and Russia are not isolated conflicts, but pieces of a much broader geopolitical strategy. That is the thesis defended by Andrés Piqueras, senior professor at the Universitat Jaume I of Castellón and specialist in international relations, who maintains that lDonald Trump’s decisions must be interpreted within a global struggle for economic, energy and military leadership.
In an interview on the occasion of the publication of his book Capitalism of death (surplus capital and disposable humanity), Piqueras assures that the ultimate objective of the US strategy is not the Middle East, but rather to stop the rise of China. “Everything Trump does is not the work of a madman; the real powers are those behind him. The ultimate goal is China“, he states.
“The United States wants to prevent China from consolidating its influence”
According to the expert, Washington would be trying to contain Beijing’s growth by destabilizing key regions for its commercial and energy projects.
Specifically, he points out the importance of the call and the transportation corridors that cross Asia and the Middle East. In his opinion, conflicts like the one in Iran must also be analyzed from that strategic perspective, since the country occupies a relevant position in the connections between Asia and Europe.
Piqueras considers that the competition between the great powers has ceased to be exclusively economic and that it increasingly incorporates military, technological and energy elements.
The conflict in Iran and its economic effects
The professor maintains that instability in the Middle East has a direct impact on energy-intensive sectors and industries dependent on imported raw materials.
In the case of Castellón, he gives as an example the ceramic and chemical industries, which are highly exposed to variations in the price of gas and certain minerals used in production. Also mentions possible consequences for transport, logistics, agriculture and tourism derived from a more uncertain international context.
In his opinion, European economies could be affected by increases in energy costs, disruptions in supply chains and a loss of competitiveness compared to other markets.
Economic sanctions and trade war
Another of the axes of its analysis revolves around the international sanctions imposed by the US on different countries.
Piqueras maintains that these measures constitute a powerful geopolitical pressure tool and assures that they have very severe effects on the affected populations.
In his opinion, they are part of a strategy to preserve Washington’s dominant position in the international system, taking advantage of its influence over the dollar and global financial mechanisms.
The expert cites as examples various countries subjected to US sanctions in recent decades and considers that this type of policy has become a common element of competition between powers.
A critical view on the role of Europe
During the interview, Piqueras is also very critical of the position adopted by the European Union in matters of defense and international relations.
According to his analysis, Europe maintains an excessively and is increasing military spending to the detriment of other budget priorities.
Likewise, it interprets that the rearmament process and the commitment to the defense industry will have economic and social implications for the Member States.
Among his reflections, he also questions the calls made in some European countries for the population to be prepared for possible crisis or conflict scenarios, such as recommendations on emergency kits or the reinforcement of certain civil protection capacities.
An increasingly uncertain international scenario
Regarding the immediate future, Piqueras avoids making categorical predictions, although he considers it likely that geopolitical tensions will continue to move to new scenarios and strategic regions.
In his opinion, competition between great powers will continue to manifest itself through indirect conflicts, disputes over resources, trade corridors and areas of influencerather than through conventional confrontations between States.
Its main warning is that interpreting these events as isolated episodes can lead to underestimating the depth of the changes that the international system is going through.
From his perspective, the world is immersed in a far-reaching transformation in which the rivalry between the US and China plays a central role and conditions many of the political and economic decisions adopted on a global scale.
