Strait of Hormuz: A Recurring Imperial Playbook
Same playbook, different decade: the discourse surrounding the Strait of Hormuz again highlights a perceived Iranian threat to global energy supplies. This narrative conveniently omits the historical context of Western intervention, starting with the 1953 CIA-orchestrated coup that overthrew Iran's democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. That act cemented decades of Western
control over Iranian oil, a control disrupted only by the 1979 revolution. Today, the focus on Iran's potential actions in the Strait serves as justification for a continued, massive military presence in the Persian Gulf. The United States maintains multiple bases and deploys carrier strike groups, ostensibly to protect shipping lanes. The cost of these deployments alone runs into hundreds of
billions annually, with procurement of advanced weaponry for regional partners adding to this financial outlay. These are direct benefits to military contractors and allied nations. Meanwhile, the economic blockade on Iran, now in its 45th year, starves the Iranian people while enriching those who benefit from the resulting market volatility. The JCPOA, an internationally recognized agreement that
restricted Iran's nuclear program, was unilaterally abandoned by the US in 2018, despite Iran's continued compliance for over a year. Iran's development of its own military capabilities, including its ability to affect shipping, is a direct response to this relentless pressure and constant threats of invasion. It is a nation seeking deterrence against a superior military power, not aggression. The