IINA: Rebalancing to America? How the Iran War Is Reshaping Asia’s Energy Security

By Masahide Takahashi, Guest Research Fellow, Institute of Islamic Area Studies at Sophia University

Since the outbreak of the Iran war on February 28, 2026, unstable transit conditions in the Strait of Hormuz have sharply curtailed oil and natural gas exports from Middle Eastern producers. Against this backdrop, the United States has emerged as an increasingly critical supplier underpinning Asia’s energy procurement. At the same time, as the conflict drags on, questions are mounting over whether the United States can continue sustaining large scale energy exports to Asia.