Why the Strait of Hormuz is so important

Why the Strait of Hormuz is so important

Maritime oil trade from the Arabian Peninsula relies exclusively on two strategic chokepoints: The Strait of Hormuz, to the UAE’s north, and Bab Al Mandeb to the south.

Despite efforts to diversify the GCC countries’ economy, oil trade remains a lifeline. More than a third of the world’s petroleum trade by sea passes through the Strait of Hormuz. At its most narrow, The Strait of Hormuz is just 54 KM wide. It connects the Arabian Gulf to the Indian Ocean, separating the shores of Oman and Iran.

It’s one of the most strategically important waterways in the world. But with tensions between Iran and some of the GCC countries rising, the Strait of Hormuz might also be the GCC’s biggest strategic vulnerability.

This week, we spoke to Clement Therme, who is a research fellow for Iran at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. He’s based in Bahrain where he helps analyse Iran’s political trajectory.

Episoder(479)

Scientists warn: Act now on climate change or it will be too late

Scientists warn: Act now on climate change or it will be too late

The world’s leading climate change scientists warned governments to act on climate change today or face a catastrophic future. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report is seen as the final...

10 Okt 201826min

Refugees trapped in Libya ask for mercy

Refugees trapped in Libya ask for mercy

Hundreds of men, women and children are being held in detention centres in Libya, just a stone’s throw away from clashes between rival militias, as journalist Sally Hayden has written for The National...

3 Okt 201820min

At least on Iran, Trump has clear message

At least on Iran, Trump has clear message

US President Donald Trump's second United Nations General Assembly was, to say the least, uneven. It started off when he showed up late to his speech at the general debate, then 20 minutes late to th...

27 Sep 201820min

A summer of reform in the UAE

A summer of reform in the UAE

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, announced the Tomorrow 2021 plan this week. It includes 50 initiatives to spur growth in areas su...

19 Sep 201815min

The cultural importance of rebuilding Mosul; Child mortality rates in Afghanistan on the rise

The cultural importance of rebuilding Mosul; Child mortality rates in Afghanistan on the rise

Iraq needs two billion dollars to revive its cultural heritage and renovate areas destroyed by ISIS. But the country says it does not have the capacity to rebuild without support from the internationa...

12 Sep 201817min

Iraq's parliament starts off on wrong foot; the US-Palestine relationship

Iraq's parliament starts off on wrong foot; the US-Palestine relationship

The first day of Iraq's new parliament was a chaotic one. Where does the new government go from here? Also, the US administration is proposing a solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict, but it's one...

5 Sep 201818min

How does Caspian Sea demarcation affect Iran?

How does Caspian Sea demarcation affect Iran?

The Caspian Sea is the biggest enclosed body of water on earth, but depending who you ask, it’s either the largest lake in the world or a small inland sea. Either way, it has been a source of conflic...

29 Aug 201819min

The view from Hajj; Rohingya refugee update

The view from Hajj; Rohingya refugee update

This week Beyond the Headlines hosts two interviews from two different corners of the Muslim world — celebration at Hajj, and an update on the ongoing Rohingya crisis.  In Makkah, where over two mill...

22 Aug 201823min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
forklart
aftenpodden-usa
i-retten
popradet
fotballpodden-2
stopp-verden
det-store-bildet
rss-gukild-johaug
dine-penger-pengeradet
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
rss-ness
nokon-ma-ga
hanna-de-heldige
aftenbla-bla
e24-podden
rss-dannet-uten-piano
frokostshowet-pa-p5
rss-utenrikskomiteen-med-bogen-og-grasvik