Iran Takes Center Stage

 2/20/2026

Iran Takes Center Stage

 

The US has assembled what analysts are calling its largest military deployment near Iran since the Iraq War. The armada consists of two carrier strike groups, over 50 fighter jets, Patriot and THAAD systems near Iran amid rising tensions and stalled nuclear talks.

Media Sources

President Trump warned Iran against killing civilian protestors.  Estimates range from a few to many thousand killed. The US did not have significant military presence in the area in recent weeks.. As mentioned, the US does now. Both the most advanced carrier USS Gerald Ford and Abraham Lincoln are on alert nearby Iran These carrier groups are supplemented by Patriot and the HAAD air defense batteries these systems are designed to yield US troops from Iran missile attacks.

President Trump has given the Iran regime ten days to meet his terms.  The idea is to remove Iran as a nuclear threat and ideally institute regime change.

West Texas Intermediate crude is trading at $66.28. Prices jumped decisively above $65. Yesterday. If Iran’s ability to export oil to China is interrupted (that is to put it mildly) oil price might be expected to rise further.

Wall Street has checked out on the Magnificent Seven and in on energy Schlumberger SB has risen from $38 to $51 this year.  Bell weather Apache APA rose from $38 to $51. Translation, there is considerable anticipation that oil prices will rise and stay higher.

All of this may not bode well for Trump’s promise to lower gasoline pr ices.  Unleaded gasoline futures (without taxes at the pump) has risen form $1.70 to $2.00. Iran is seen as the most disruptive force in the Middle East. It is part of the Axis of Russia, China, and North Korea who seek to disrupt all things in the West. This confrontation has further implications. It will send a message to Putin on what the US is willing to do in Ukraine. Chinese {resident Xi is surely looking for clues as to the US intentions on Taiwan. Obama ignored his red line in Syria. It appears Trump will not ignore his red line in Iran.

The NDX NASD 100 trades at 25,000. This is 1,000 points above its November low. Trading under that level will suggest lower prices across the markets.

It appears the ten-year Treasury note yield has bottomed at  4.02%. Rates have already risen to 4.09%. That does not sound significant but it is. Rising above 4.3% will set the target on 5%. This will be quite upsetting to President Trump but this is reality. The FED only sets the overnight inter-bank lending rate.

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