Iran conflict: Trusted insights and perspectives

As we enter day six of the conflict in the Middle East, finding trusted and insightful sources of information and analysis is more important than ever. At SEC Newgate UK, we thought it would be useful to highlight some of the more authoritative and experienced media commentators with something important to say. Today it’s the turn of Bloomberg’s John Authers, The Times’ Edward Lucas and the former BBC Diplomatic Editor, Mark Urban. Each provides a valuable and informed insight. 

https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/newsletters/2026-03-05/iran-war-markets-have-one-clear-winner-america?srnd=phx-opinion&sref=56fFLhWx

John Authers can call on decades of experience, firstly at the Financial Times and in recent years as a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. In this morning’s newsletter he states that the verdict of global markets on the conflict is already clear. 

It is the dollar and US equity markets that are currently benefiting from hostilities due to the dollar’s role as a safe haven and the fact that the US economy has become self-sufficient in fossil fuels. Over recent days, outflows from US equities to emerging markets have reversed. 

https://www.thetimes.com/comment/columnists/article/uk-defences-macron-nuclear-38n3882g9

The Times columnist Edward Lucas is an acknowledged expert on European and transatlantic security, having spent many years as a senior editor at the Economist. In his view, events in the Middle East have exposed the reality that the defence of Europe without the support of the US is problematic due to a lack of equipment and intelligence. He highlights the risks to NATO’s flanks, in the High Arctic and in the Eastern Mediterranean.

He calls for a renewed focus on national resilience and praises the leadership of President Macron of France, as he seeks to build a European coalition of allies, organising joint nuclear exercises.   

https://markurban.substack.com/p/tell-me-how-this-ends

Mark Urban is one of the UK’s most distinguished journalists and broadcasters, who began life in the military. For decades he was a diplomatic editor at the BBC and writes regularly for The Sunday Times. 

His most recent Substack column, entitled ‘Tell me how this ends’, provides an important insight into strategic military thinking. He highlights how the Pentagon is able to leverage its impressive intelligence and air force capabilities. Multiple war aims makes it easier for the US to state its ultimate objective has been achieved. But in his view, it’s highly likely that Iran can simply play for time and just refuse to stop fighting.