Decades of international sanctions have systematically degraded critical infrastructure across major oil-producing regions. The damage runs deep—ports stand idle with aging equipment, tanker fleets deteriorate from underinvestment, and supply chains fracture under restrictions. When critical energy infrastructure stalls, it ripples through global commodity prices and creates uncertainty in financial markets. Investors watching macro trends know that geopolitical disruptions like these feed into energy volatility, inflation expectations, and ultimately, broader asset allocation decisions. It's the kind of structural instability that moves markets in ways that go beyond headlines.