Alright, Iran really isn’t Venezuela! After Khamenei, the 'core,' was forcibly taken offline by a military operation initiated by the U.S. and Israel, Iran’s religious authoritarian and military co-governance system didn’t show signs of collapse. Instead, it resiliently launched military and diplomatic counterattacks. This unexpected outcome has pushed global financial markets into risk-off mode, with gold and oil surging while tech stock valuations are compressed. During the Asian trading session, Bitcoin, as a high-beta risk asset, followed tech stocks downward instead of rising alongside gold. Keep an eye on Polymarket’s two prediction markets over the next couple of days: 1️⃣ Will Iran negotiate with the U.S.? 2️⃣ Will the Strait of Hormuz be unblocked before March 31? If oil prices remain elevated due to the Iran situation, it could hinder further declines in U.S. inflation indicators, thereby affecting the Fed’s rate-cut agenda. At the end of the month, Trump the Great Leader will meet Emperor Xi in Beijing for a historic summit. Wild guess: during this meeting, the two will carve up the globe and divide spheres of influence, making the U.S. and China the de facto Western and Eastern emperors. Right now, Iran’s uranium enrichment facilities, the unlocking of the Strait of Hormuz, and the progress of U.S.-Iran negotiations have all become bargaining chips in the prelude to the Trump-Xi summit.