tehran10 minutes ago
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Amidst the ongoing war between America, Israel and Iran, Kharg Island near the Strait of Hormuz has suddenly become very important. Some media reports have claimed that the Trump government is considering military options to occupy this island, because it is considered to be Iran’s largest center of oil earnings.
In fact, about 80 to 90% of Iran’s crude oil is exported from this island. There are large oil terminals, pipelines, storage tanks and facilities for filling oil into ships.
About 7 million barrels of oil can be loaded into ships every day from this terminal. Following foreign investment in the 1960s, the site was developed as a major oil export center and has since become the backbone of Iran’s oil supply.
Michael Doran, senior fellow at the Hudson Institute, said the Trump government does not want to destroy the foundation of the post-war Iranian economy. It is a long-standing American Red Line. If there is an attack here, Iran can attack on a very large scale, which will create a situation like Third World War.
Oil export continues even amidst war
America and Israel have targeted many military bases and nuclear facilities of Iran, but Kharg Island has not been targeted by direct attack so far.
According to satellite data and ship monitoring companies, Iran is continuously exporting oil from here despite the war.
According to reports, since February 28, more than 12 million barrels of oil have been sent out through tankers. The real figure may be higher because many Iranian ships operate with their tracking systems turned off.
Oil being sent from dark fleet
Iran sometimes uses tankers called its dark fleet. These ships turn off the tracking machines showing their location, making them difficult to track. Kharg Island is located in the Persian Gulf, about 25 to 30 kilometers from the coast of Iran.
Recently a large oil tanker went missing from tracking for some time while crossing the Strait of Hormuz and later reappeared. Reports said that the ship was heading towards Asia.
World’s important oil routes near Kharg Island
Kharg Island is very close to the Strait of Hormuz. It is one of the most important maritime oil routes in the world.
About 20% of the world’s oil passes through this route. If there is an attack in this area or the movement of ships is stopped, then the supply of oil in the whole world may be affected and the prices may increase rapidly.
According to reports, the US administration is considering that if the Kharg Island oil terminal is destroyed or captured, Iran’s biggest source of income could be cut off.
Experts say that the money received from the sale of oil is the biggest economic support for Iran’s government and its military power. If this earning stops then it may be difficult for Iran to continue the war for a long time.
What will be the impact if there is an attack?
Experts believe that if Kharg Island is attacked, it could have two major impacts:
- Iran’s oil earnings may suddenly fall
- Worldwide oil prices may rise sharply
According to some estimates, if the supply stops from here, the price of oil may increase by about $ 10 per barrel.
Iran’s oil production capacity
At present Iran produces about 33 lakh barrels of crude oil. Apart from this, it also produces about 13 lakh barrels of condensate and other liquid fuels. In this way, 4.5% of the total global energy supply comes from Iran.
Pipelines from Iran’s major oil fields such as Ahvaz, Maroon and Gachsaran come directly to Kharg Island. Here the oil is kept in large storage tanks and then filled in tanker ships and sent to different countries of the world.
The island has the capacity to store about 30 million barrels of oil. At present it is estimated that about 18 million barrels of oil are present in storage here, which is equivalent to 10 to 12 days of export under normal circumstances.
According to media reports, just before the war started, Iran had rapidly increased oil exports from Kharg Island.
Between February 15 and 20, oil exports exceeded 3 million barrels per day, which was almost three times the normal level. It is believed that Iran tried to send out as much oil as possible before the war started.
This island was attacked in the Iran-Iraq war
Kharg Island has been a part of strategic discussions many times before. During the Iran hostage crisis of 1979, US President Jimmy Carter was advised to capture the island, but he did not do so.
The US attacked some other Iranian oil facilities in the 1980s under President Ronald Reagan, but Kharg Island was not targeted.
Although the island’s oil terminal was heavily damaged by Iraqi attacks during the Iran-Iraq War, Iran later rebuilt it.
Why hasn’t it been attacked yet?
Experts say that attacking Kharg Island can create a major crisis in the oil market around the world. Oil prices could rise sharply, disrupting shipping movements and further spreading war in the Gulf region.
This is the reason why till now America and its allies are first working on the strategy of weakening Iran’s military and nuclear capacity.
Therefore, at present this small island has not become a direct battlefield, but it can play a big role in deciding the direction of the war in the future.
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