Ian Wereley Adjunct Research Professor, Department of History, Carleton University published a piece in the Conversation on the history of oil and imperialism in Iran
Adjunct Research Professor, Department of History, Carleton University
With the recent outbreak of hostilities in the Persian Gulf, the focus of international attention has returned to one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints: the Strait of Hormuz.
Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil passes through this narrow strait. Its closure, alongside U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran’s oil infrastructure — including the strategic export hub on Kharg Island — has raised fears of a protracted conflict as fuel prices soar.
Most news coverage and analysis has focused on the immediate threats posed by missiles, drones and mines, and the global implications of the strait’s closure.
But beneath these headlines lies a much deeper story.
For more than a century, Iran has occupied a powerful place in the western imagination, characterized as a volatile region that sits atop one of the world’s largest oil reserves.
Working within the energy humanities sub-field, my research and teaching focus on the early history of oil in Iran and the development of western oil cultures during the early 20th century.
Full article: https://theconversation.com/the-west-has-long-characterized-irans-oil-as-a-prize-to-be-claimed-278379