Guide Note

As the only passage to the ocean from the oil-producing states of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz is a vastly important strategic waterway that lies between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

Fast Facts

Narrowest part of the strait: 21 miles
Iran is on its north coast and the United Arab Emirates on its south
Approx. 30% of the world's oil passes through the strait

U.S.-Iran Standoff

In December 2007 and January 2008, the U.S. Navy accused Itanian patrol boats of harassing its warships. A radio transmission that may have been instigated by a local ham radio operator suggested that the U.S. ships would be fired upon, and the Pentagon at one point reported that they nearly fired on the Iranian boats before their withdrawal.

Categories

Geography | International Relations

View Note History

Strait of Hormuz

Also try: US-Iran Navy Standoff

Strait of Hormuz Background

Wikipedia: Strait of Hormuz
United Nations: Convention on the Law of the Sea
Inside the Danger Zone: The U.S. Military in the Persian Gulf 1987-88
Energy Information Administration: World Oil Transit Chokepoints
MSN Encarta: Map of the Strait of Hormuz
American University: The Strait of Hormuz: Potential for Conflict

Strait of Hormuz News

Google News: Strait of Hormuz
Washington Post: Strait of Hormuz Articles
Guardian Unlimited: Mischievous 'Filipino Monkey' could have triggered latest US-Iran row (January 14, 2008)
- "A heckling radio ham known as the Filipino Monkey, who has spent years pestering ships in the Persian Gulf, is being blamed today for sparking a major diplomatic row after American warships almost attacked Iranian patrol boats."
Times Online: Iran speedboats 'threatened suicide attack on US' in Strait of Hormuz (January 7, 2008)
- "A Pentagon official said that US forces were "literally" on the verge of firing on the Iranian boats and had moved to man their guns when the Iranians turned and sped away."
MSNBC: U.S. says Iranian gunboats harassed warships (January 7, 2008)
BBC: Iran boats 'threatened US ships' (January 7, 2008)
USA Today: Iranian boats harassed, provoked U.S. Navy ships (January 7, 2008)
Forbes: Iranian speedboats harassed US navy vessels in Gulf at weekend - Pentagon (January 7, 2008)
BBC: Thirty-two killed by Oman cyclone (June 8, 2007)
Washington Post: With Iran Ascendant, U.S. Is Seen at Fault (January 29, 2007)

Strait of Hormuz Blogs and Commentary

Google Blog Search: Strait of Hormuz
Michelle Malkin: Incident in the Strait of Hormuz (January 7, 2008)
New York Times' The Lede: U.S. Military Reports Skirmish With Iran (January 7, 2008)
Online Journal: Dubai and the Strait of Hormuz (March 6, 2006)

Related Searches

US-Iran Navy Standoff | U.S. Navy | Iran | Tensions with Iran | Iran Nuclear Crisis | Mahmoud Ahmadinejad | George W. Bush | Gulf of Oman

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