Benesch Partner Michael Vatis Interviews with NewsNation on U.S.–Iran Conflict and the Strait of Hormuz

Michael Vatis, partner in the firm’s Litigation and Data Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice Groups and founding head of the FBI’s computer crime and infrastructure protection program, was recently interviewed by NewsNation for the story, “Trump and Xi discuss Strait of Hormuz and Iran conflict.”

In the interview, Michael discusses the ongoing U.S.–Iran conflict, emphasizing the lack of achieved military and political objectives and the strategic challenge posed by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. He highlights growing reliance on external support, particularly from China, as the U.S. seeks a viable path forward.

Michael suggests that reopening the Strait of Hormuz—critical to global oil flow—likely requires cooperation with China, given its influence over Iran and dependence on Iranian oil, and notes that any such partnership may come at a significant geopolitical cost, reflecting a broader shift toward great-power bargaining and spheres of influence.

Watch the full interview here.