Axios

President Trump is positioning himself as a central architect of Iran's post-war future, demanding "UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER" on Friday.

The big picture: Trump is signaling ambitions that extend beyond military action into reshaping Iran's political and economic order just as he did in Venezuela. But experts warn it's not that simple.

In theory, an emergency that's blocking petro-flows and spiking prices should boost the case for clean energy. But in practice, it's way more complicated.

Why it matters: The Iran war is the biggest energy crisis since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, if not longer.

Oil and gasoline prices are marching upward again Friday, even as Trump administration officials seek ways to get more barrels into the market.

Why it matters: Ships avoiding the Strait of Hormuz and military threats to regional infrastructure are together shocking oil and natural gas markets.

Corporate giants on Thursday unveiled a $100 million effort to stake projects that cut climate "superpollutants" like methane, black carbon and refrigerant gases.

Why it matters: These substances are "responsible for roughly half of all climate warming to date and can contribute to harmful air pollution," per the Superpollutant Action Initiative.

Venezuela's state-owned mining company on Monday inked a multimillion-dollar deal to sell as many as 1,000 kilograms of gold destined for U.S. markets, two sources familiar with the deal tell Axios.

Why it matters: The arrangement shows the tightening commercial bounds between Venezuela and the U.S. after President Trump ousted that nation's indicted socialist dictator and exerted de facto control over its oil-rich petroleum company.

The U.S. and Israel's war with Iran is likely to impact people around the world as tensions escalate around the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway on Iran's southern coast, where traffic has ground to a halt.

Why it matters: Trade disruptions along this key waterway on Iran's southern coast that handles 25% of the world's maritime oil trade and 20% of liquefied natural gas shipments will likely produce a domino effect across the global economy.

President Trump and tech CEOs expressed confidence Wednesday that they can contain soaring electricity rates with a new data center pledge that formalizes and expands on what companies already are doing.

Why it matters: With rising power bills turning AI and data centers into an election-year issue, Trump — who campaigned on a promise to cut costs — is eager to show he's trying to protect consumers.

Americans are likely to feel the impact of President Trump's war with Iran in their wallets.

The big picture: The conflict is pushing up energy prices, and there will likely also be a ripple impact on industries connected to them.

The U.S. economy tripled in size over the past half century, however, oil consumption barely grew.

Why it matters: We're far less dependent on oil than in 1979, when a crisis in Iran caused widespread disruption in the U.S.

America's natural gas bounty is acting like a moat, largely shielding the U.S. from price spikes while much of the world reels from escalating unrest in the Middle East.

Why it matters: Natural gas hasn't, historically, drawn the same headlines as the more volatile oil markets. But it's increasingly central to the economy — including powering the AI boom.