Bi-Weekly Geopolitical Report – Implications of the Israel-Iran Conflict (July 28, 2025)
by Daniel Ortwerth, CFA | PDF
During the night of June 13, an already unsettled Middle East was shocked to a new level of unrest when bombs from an Israeli airstrike rained down on Iran’s key nuclear and military facilities. In what proved to be the opening salvo of a 12-Day War, which included the first use of “bunker-buster” bombs by the United States, Israel asserted that the barrage was necessary before its adversary could get any closer to building an atomic weapon. In an already tense and conflict-ridden region, questions abound as to how this conflict will affect the Middle East’s balance of power and the region’s relations with the rest of the world. With Iran’s nuclear program at the center of the conflict and the future of its government in question, a heightened sense of risk and uncertainty looms large over the deliberations of global leaders.
This report provides an overview of the war and discusses where things stand now (at least as of our publication date). The report also addresses the conflict’s likely impact on the Middle Eastern balance of power and examines its possible long-term regional effects. As always, we conclude with investment implications.