Tension is continuously increasing in the Middle East. America and Israel are now said to be preparing to attack Iran’s economic power. It is believed that his eyes are on those small islands of Iran present in the Persian Gulf, with the help of which Iran maintains its control over the Strait of Hormuz. According to reports, if these islands are attacked, there could be major damage to Iran’s oil exports and military infrastructure. This is the reason why this possibility has increased the stir in Iran.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid recently said that Israel should target the oil facilities on Iran’s Kharg Island. After this statement, concern has increased in Iran. Actually, Iran has more than 30 islands in the Persian Gulf. Many of these islands are considered very important strategically and economically. There are about 10 islands with the help of which Iran exports oil and gas, maintains maritime security and keeps an eye on the Strait of Hormuz.
Why is Kharg Island important for Iran?
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The most important of these for Iran is Kharg Island, which is located in the Persian Gulf, about 30 kilometers from Bushehr city. This island is Iran’s largest oil export terminal, from where about 90 percent of the country’s total crude oil is sent abroad. Its importance can be gauged from the fact that about 20 lakh barrels of crude oil is supplied from here every day and oil tankers from all over the world come here for loading.
Not only this, this island is also known as the ‘Oil Reserve’ of Iran, because there is a huge reserve of crude oil of about 1 crore 80 lakh barrels. In such a situation, if America or Israel attacks here, it will be a step that will directly break the back of Iran’s economy.
Qeshm island near Hormuz is also important
Similarly, Qeshm Island located near the Strait of Hormuz is also very special for Iran. It is not only Iran’s largest island in the Persian Gulf, but also a major port where ships from all over the world move. Due to its strategic location, it is of great importance for Iran both in terms of security and trade.
Apart from this, many small and big islands like Kish, Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, Lavan, Siri and Hengam also increase the strength of Iran. While on one hand Iran has strong military bases on these islands, on the other hand some of these places are also centers of international tourism and trade. In fact, on the basis of these islands, Iran maintains a close watch and control over the maritime trade through the entire Strait of Hormuz.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most important sea routes in the world. About 20 percent of the world’s oil supply passes through here. If there is any kind of interruption here, it affects the energy system of the entire world. Amidst the recent tension, Iran has indicated that if it is attacked, the situation may become more serious.
Warning also regarding Bab-al-Mandeb Strait
A senior Iranian official said in an interview to Al Jazeera that if America made a strategic mistake, another important sea route could be affected. It is believed that he is pointing towards the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait. This sea route connects the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea and is very important for trade between Asia and Europe. On one side of it is Yemen and on the other side is the African country Djibouti. If this route is closed, ships will have to take a long detour to Africa, which could increase trade costs and oil prices.
ground attack challenge
Experts believe that even launching a ground attack on Iran is not easy. The geographical position of the country is a major reason behind this. Iran has the Zagros Mountains in the west, the Alborz Mountains in the north, and vast deserts like the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut within the country. It is considered very difficult for the army to advance in these areas.
There is an example of this in history also. Iraq attacked Iran in 1980, but due to the mountainous terrain the war lasted a long time and in the end no clear result could be achieved.
Why didn’t China panic?
Despite increasing tension in the Middle East, there is not much movement in China. The reason for this is said to be his preparation. China has already created large-scale oil reserves. It has strategic reserves of about 140 crore barrels of crude oil. Apart from this, it has also increased the purchase of crude oil in recent years. Also, China has worked rapidly on electric vehicles and renewable energy for its energy needs. Today about 53 percent of the vehicles sold there are electric vehicles. For this reason its dependence on oil has reduced compared to before.
Amidst the increasing tension in the Middle East, the world’s eyes are now on important sea routes like Hormuz and Bab-al-Mandeb. If the situation worsens, its impact will not be limited to this region only, but may also affect global trade and energy markets.
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