Since the US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, Donald Trump has publicly shown his interest to occupy the Tehran’s most prestigious and strategically important oil port – the Kharg Island. Trump has repeatedly threatened that if Iran does not make a deal, the US could “completely obliterate” the oil hub.
Kharg Island is a small coral island in the Persian Gulf. Through this Island, Iran exports roughly 90 per cent of its oil. The island is also known as ‘Forbidden Island’ and is heavily managed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
US Eyeing Ground Invasion Of Kharg Island?
US intelligence agencies have described the island as the ‘most vital in Iran’s oil system’. CIA, Pentagon, and the US government believe that if the US controls the island, it would be able to control the Iranian regime and push them to surrender and open the Strait of Hormuz.
On March 13, the US bombed the island, saying it targeted the Iranian military targets, including the naval mine and missile facilities stored around the island.
On March 29, Trump told Financial Times that “Maybe we take Kharg Island, maybe we don’t. We have a lot of options.”
This week, as Trump said that the US will continue to hit Iran for at least two to three weeks, experts feared that US is preparing to invade the Kharg island.
Can US Occupy Kharg Island?
However, it is easier said than done type of situation for the US to seize the Kharg Island. Experts believe that if US tries to attack the Island, it would be detrimental to its security.
The Island is very close to the mainland of Iran. If the US deploys troops for the ground invasion of the Island, they would be susceptible to the Iranian attacks. Iran can fire missiles and attack with drones without being intercepted by the US radars due to Tehran’s mountainous coast.
Even Iranian authorities have warned the US against attempting to invade the island. Iran’s parliamentary speaker recently warned that they would “rain down fire” on US troops if they stepped on the Island.
Also, US troops do not have a safe house type of space near the Island. All the US military bases in the region are far away from the Island, most of them more than 100 miles away.
What History Tells US About Foreign Powers Trying To Occupy Kharg Island
US is not the first foreign power trying to grab the Island. Europeans, in the past, have also tried to invade the island. However, all the external powers that tried to invade and control the island over centuries have failed miserably. Portuguese were among the first countries to step onto the island in the early 1500s. Similarly, in the 1800s, the Dutch East India Company tried to invade Isalnd. It even secured the control of the Island and started building a trading base there. Dutch developed the island as a free port and invested in its infrastructure. However, they were forced to leave the island in the second half of the 18th century. Britain occupied the island during the 19th century; however, for a very short time. The island largely remained out of the control of the British Empire even during its peak imperial dominance around the globe.
The common thread in all these invasion attempts is that the foreign powers could not grab the island due to the difficulties and resistance created by the local rulers in the region.
So the bottom line is that you can destroy the island, but history tell us that howsoever powerful the invading country is, it cannot control it.
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
