Harlan Ullman, chairman of the Kilowen Group and a retired US Navy officer,
called current US‑Iran tensions very serious and warned they could escalate into
a regional war, saying the next few days are critical. He blamed recent attacks
on ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Iran and said the timing — during the
multi‑day funeral for Iran’s assassinated supreme leader and a NATO summit in
Turkey — suggests Tehran sought to raise pressure on Washington and strengthen
its bargaining position while betting US military retaliation would be
constrained by the risk of causing civilian casualties that would draw
international condemnation. Ullman warned the standoff could lift global oil
prices and increase political pressure on Trump.
