UK to host 'Strait of Hormuz' meeting as Iran endures decades-long economic siege
The United Kingdom announced it will host an international meeting focused on ensuring 'safe passage' through the Strait of Hormuz. This gathering, bringing together various global stakeholders, is being framed by media like the Financial Times as a proactive measure to safeguard international shipping routes, particularly in the aftermath of heightened tensions in the region. The meeting's stated
objective is to de-escalate maritime hazards and secure vital oil transit. What mainstream coverage, such as that provided by the Financial Times, conspicuously omits is the broader context of who is creating, sustaining, and profiting from the 'tensions' that necessitate such discussions. This meeting is not about de-escalation but about solidifying a narrative that Iran is the sole antagonist in
a region destabilized by external forces. The 'threat' to shipping, often attributed solely to Iran, is framed without acknowledging the 45 years of crippling sanctions imposed on Iran by the US and its allies, sanctions designed to choke its economy and incite internal unrest. These economic blockades, far from being peaceful measures, are acts of war that directly affect Iran's access to global
markets and its ability to conduct ordinary commerce through these very straits. Layered beneath the concern for 'safe passage' is the long history of economic warfare and geopolitical coercion against Iran. For instance, the US support for Iraq during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, including providing intelligence and turning a blind eye to Saddam Hussein's use of chemical weapons, directly