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Begin New Search Political Geography Oman Journal Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs

1. The Geopolitics of the Strait of Hormuz and the Iran-Oman Relations

Author:
Asghar Jafari-Valdani
Publication Date:
01-2012
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs
Institution:
Center for Strategic Research (CSR)
Abstract:
The geopolitics of the Strait of Hormuz is one of the main and continuous factors in the Iran-Oman relationship. Iran and Oman are respectively located on the north and south coasts of the Strait. This factor requires them to maintain good-neighborly relations regardless of what happens at the regional or international levels. Iran and Oman assume that there is a close connection between the security of the Strait of Hormuz and their own security. This point strengthens their motivation to maintain a close and friendly relationship. The two countries are aware of the fact that geographical factors are not subject to change. Their geographical proximity via the Strait of Hormuz, Oman's relative remoteness from the Arab world and the geopolitical and geostrategic importance of the Strait have required Iran and Oman to maintain a good, neighborly relationship with one another. On that basis, and despite the fact that Oman has always had close relations with the United States and recently developed its ties with Israel, its friendly relationship with Iran has largely remained intact. This paper seeks to examine the role of the Strait of Hormuz in the relations between Iran and Oman from a historic, economic, strategic and security perspective.
Political Geography:
United States, Iran, and Oman

2. The Atlas of Persian Gulf Maps: A Journey Through Time and History (Book Review)

Author:
Reza Nazarahari
Publication Date:
09-2010
Content Type:
Journal Article
Journal:
Iranian Review of Foreign Affairs
Institution:
Center for Strategic Research (CSR)
Abstract:
The semi-closed body of water, an inland sea of a length of 989 kilometers and a size of some 251,000 km², lying to the south of the Iranian plateau, connected in the eastern end to the Gulf of Oman by the Strait of Hormuz; and marked in the western end by the major river delta of the Shatt al-Arab, which carries the waters of the Euphrates and the Tigris, is the Persian Gulf. For a host of historical reasons – beyond the purview of this brief essay – the Persian Gulf, as a water channel, appears to have been found of particular interest to geologists, archaeologists, geographers, merchants, excursionists, scholars, and politicians, both in the distant and recent past, and of course, presently. While historians can continue their scholarly interest and work on the reasons for the significance of the water channel in the past, for its critical importance present time and certainly in the foreseeable future, both to the countries sharing coastline with it as well as supra their own, is related to the huge oil and gas reserves in the area and international geo emanating from this very unique feature of the Persian Gulf will continue to be a major source of energy throughout the third millennium, the area will most probably continue to preserve its critical significance, both to the energy energy-importing countries across the world, with all the associated political, economic, security-strategic, and even military, implications during the past several decades.
Political Geography:
Oman and Persia