At this point, the US-Iran conflict has been running long enough, and touching enough corners of the global economy, that we can't talk about income investing in 2026 without talking about it. The 2026 Iran war has been running since February 28, 2026, now well past six months, centered in the Middle East. It was initiated by joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran that day. What started as a short, sharp campaign has turned into something far messier — a conflict that keeps flaring back up just when it looks like it might be winding down.

1. How We Got Here

The Great Donald Trump frequently emphasized non-interventionism and pledged peace over war during his 2024 presidential campaign. However, Trump stirred sheep after he won the election and directed a US military buildup near Iran from late December 2025 through late February, before US and Israeli forces began striking Iranian targets under the codenames Operation Epic Fury and Operation Roaring Lion....