persian gulf

A container ship in the Strait of Hormuz

‘The Passage of the Palm Groves’: The Strait of Hormuz in Iranian History

M. Reza Behnam / ZNetwork May 22, 2026 Long before it became the jugular vein of the modern global economy, the stretch of water was the sacred and strategic maritime gateway to the Persian empire. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Dade County, Fla., motorists form a long line at a gas station in Miami in 1973

Military

Trump Bombing US-Arab Relations Back to the 1970s

Paul R. Pillar / Responsible Statecraft Mar 17, 2026 Two weeks of escalation have all but eliminated the possibility of a detente in the Persian Gulf. Dig deeper ( 6 Min. Read )

Woman sits on rubble during the U.S.-Israeli air campaign in Tehran, Iran

Global Voices

As Hell Rains Down on Iran, Western Media Turns Its Head

Kamin Mohammadi / Truthdig Mar 13, 2026 Mainstream English-language outlets refer to the war as the “conflict in the Middle East,” as if the region just got up one morning and decided to set itself on fire. Dig deeper ( 8 Min. Read )

A farmer treats a field with man-made fertilizers, products that have become indispensable to the global food system

World

The War in Iran Could Plunge the World Into Hunger

Ayurella Horn-Muller / Grist Mar 12, 2026 Farmers from Iowa to India depend on fossil fuel-based fertilizers. Much of their supply is stuck in the Persian Gulf. Dig deeper ( 6 Min. Read )

Iran Says Missiles Strike its Oil Tanker off Saudi Arabia

NASSER KARIMI and JON GAMBRELL / The Associated Press Oct 11, 2019 Although the assault was not immediately corroborated, oil prices spiked amid months of heightened tensions at sea across the wider Mideast. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Yemen’s Houthi Rebels Attack Key Saudi Oil Sites

JON GAMBRELL / The Associated Press Sep 14, 2019 The attack could heighten tensions caused by the crisis between the U.S. and Iran over its unraveling nuclear deal with world powers. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Iran Won’t Let Itself Be Hemmed In by the U.S. and U.K.

Vijay Prashad / Independent Media Institute Jul 29, 2019 The United States is leading a process to create a naval force that would patrol the Strait of Hormuz. Dig deeper ( 5 Min. Read )

Iran Denies Trump Claim That U.S. Destroyed Iranian Drone

AMIR VAHDAT and DAVID RISING / The Associated Press Jul 19, 2019 The country's military says there was no confrontation in the Strait of Hormuz amid another increase in tensions. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Iran Acknowledges Missing Tanker Was Seized in Persian Gulf

AYA BATRAWY and NASSER KARIMI / The Associated Press Jul 18, 2019 The United Arab Emirates-based oil tanker and its crew of 12 was smuggling fuel out of the country, according to Iran's state-owned TV station. Dig deeper ( 3 Min. Read )

Iran Shoots Down U.S. Surveillance Drone, Heightening Tensions

NASSER KARIMI and JON GAMBRELL / The Associated Press Jun 20, 2019 The incident raises fears that a miscalculation could push the U.S. and Iran into an open conflict. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

Stern Words From Iran: U.S. Cannot ‘Expect to Stay Safe’

AMIR VAHDAT and JON GAMBRELL / The Associated Press Jun 10, 2019 Iran's foreign minister signals a harder line toward the West after what he describes as an economic war against Tehran. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )

America’s Sordid History of Meddling in Iran

Maj. Danny Sjursen / Truthdig Jun 5, 2019 For decades, the United States has portrayed Tehran as the foremost aggressor in the Middle East. Perhaps it takes one to know one. Dig deeper ( 4 Min. Read )