Finding common ground: Fostering environmental cooperation in the Persian Gulf
February 4, 2021 Share
When it comes to the Persian Gulf, saving the environment might seem like it would be the last item on the to-do lists of the region’s Iranian and Arab rivals. It is an urgent matter, however and one that could help turn these foes into friends. The United States can play an important role in this: It has helped the region to resolve conflicts over water in the past, and it could do so again.
A dire situation
The Persian Gulf, a semi-enclosed, 600-mile-long body of water, is an extension of the Indian Ocean from the Gulf of Oman through its narrowest point, the 35-mile-wide Strait of Hormuz. Due to its geographical location and semi-isolation from other international waters, the Persian Gulf has a unique and diverse ecosystem. It is now under threat and some of its most precious marine species are on the brink of extinction.