Iran and the Strait of Hormuz

The United States, the United Kingdom and Australia have all now sent ships to help protect international shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. Twenty percent of the world's oil is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has been accused of sabotaging tankers in the Strait and last month seized a British oil tanker which it claimed had strayed into its waters. In June Iran also shot down a US military surveillance drone which they said had entered Iranian airspace.

The Conversation has released an interesting story map which does a good job of explaining the current tensions in the Strait of Hormuz. The Conversations' article, The Strait of Hormuz is the most important oil choke point in the world, includes an interactive map which explores some of the recent incidents in the Strait and the planned response by the US-led naval mission.

The map only covers the recent incidents in the Strait of Hormuz. What it doesn't do is look at the background reasons for Iran's recent aggression. These go back to Donald Trump's decision last year to withdraw from the nuclear deal which the US (and other world powers) had signed with Iran. Since then the US has imposed sweeping sanctions against Iran and increased its military presence in the region. Iran has not reacted well.