The continuing United States and Israel-led campaign against Iran and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have created numerous difficulties for companies both directly and indirectly. Those businesses that source goods from the region have seen shipments slowed down to a trickle as missile attacks, the U.S. blockade, and Iranโ€™s efforts to prevent passage have taken their toll on the flow of traffic along one of the worldโ€™s most important maritime routes. Meanwhile, European companies generally are contending with associated hikes in oil and energy prices andโ€”depending on which country theyโ€™re based inโ€”stagflation.

Neil Hodge is a freelance business journalist and photographer based in Nottingham, United Kingdom. He writes on insurance and risk management, corporate governance, internal audit, compliance, and legal...