Strait of Hormuz

Geographical location

The Strait of Hormuz (Persian تنگه هرمز, Tange -ye Hormoz ) is a at the narrowest point 30 nautical miles ( 55 km ) wide strait of the Persian Gulf in the west and the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean connects the east. The name derives from the island of Hormuz, which lies in the northern part of the strait.

Geography

It lies between Iran and the Omani exclave of Musandam. Since ancient times, the Strait of Hormuz is a vital waterway. Through them, the entire waterway runs to and from the oil ports of Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Iran, to the largest part of the Saudi Arabian traffic. Since a lock of the street would block the delivery of significant sections of the oil fields in the Middle East, it is of strategic importance worldwide (about a quarter of the global oil supply).

History

Until the 16th century the Strait of Hormuz was the most important waterway on the trade route from Europe to India. Even with the Chinese Empire were trade contacts. The Strait of Hormuz and the west -lying areas were a target of the treasure fleet of Chinese admiral Zheng He in the 15th century. By traveling Vasco da Gama's the trade monopoly of the Arabs was broken, because the sea route around the Cape of Good Hope was until the opening of the Suez Canal the Hauptschifffahrtsweg.

Since the beginning of the 19th century a close relationship with the Sheikdoms on the Gulf Coast, especially to the Sultan of Oman by the then United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, followed by Great Britain maintained, as this controls access to the Strait of Hormuz, which is a very large importance for the British trade routes to India had ( see also Trucial States).

Since 1971, there is a heightened conflict between Iran and the United Arab Emirates to Abu Musa and the Tunb Islands, which are of particular strategic importance with regard to the control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Economic Importance

The road is the main bottleneck for oil exports to Japan, Western Europe and in the United States. Tanker with 16,5-17 million barrels of oil (2004, 25 per cent of world oil consumption in 2013, 40 percent of world oil consumption) worth 800 million U.S. dollars they go through daily. These exist as two international shipping lanes in each direction 3 km wide and 35 km long "virtual boxes" for the incoming and outgoing traffic ( Traffic Separation Scheme ).

In connection with the 2006/2007 imminent U.S. attack on Iran over its nuclear program, the U.S. government feared the closure of the road by cruise missiles. For this reason, were the beginning of 2007 aircraft carrier and mine clearance attendant positions near the strait.

In the context of the dispute over Iran's nuclear program threatened the First Vice President of Iran, Mohammad Reza Rahimi, the end of December 2011 for the case of the imposition of an oil embargo against Iran with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Legal position

Ships have to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, pass through the territorial waters of Oman and Iran. The passage shall be governed by the Convention of the UN. After this Agreement shall vessels to the right of transit passage. Warships are treated as merchant ships and allowed unannounced through quickly the road. The Seerechtsabkommen was signed by Iran, but not ratified and therefore has not yet achieved any validity for the Strait of Hormuz. The other rights, Iran would, if he beiträte the Agreement, only those states concede, which are also Parties to the Seerechtsabkommen. The U.S. is not yet acceded to this Agreement.

Both states have signed and ratified the Geneva seas conventions. According to these conventions ships have the right of innocent passage in the Strait of Hormuz. For warships in this case more stringent requirements apply. U- boats may only appeared and flagged drive through the street. All warships must obtain prior to the passage when Iran 's permission for that. Not under the Convention of the UN on the other hand - After the Geneva seas conventions, Iran would have the right to close the Strait of Hormuz. Iran claimed to continue the legal permission for the passage of military ships. The U.S. have their warships continue unannounced pass through the Strait of Hormuz and thereby rely on their customary law.