Nick Lohin ‘27
Sports Desk Editor
The conflict between Iran and the United States (U.S.) has rapidly escalated in recent months, following military strikes, shipping disruptions, and rising tension in the Strait of Hormuz. Although there have been tensions between the U.S. and Iran for decades prior, many of the conflicts today stem from the 1953 overthrow of Iran’s government by the U.S. and United Kingdom, the 1979 hostage crisis involving 66 American hostages in Iran, and long standing disagreements around Iran’s nuclear program (NPR). Tensions recently escalated this year on Feb. 28, after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iranian military bases and nuclear sites. The situation has since shifted away from a military operation and towards a struggle for control over the Strait of Hormuz.
On March 4, Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, which is heavily disrupting transportation and trade of oil and gas. Nearly one-fourth of the world’s oil supply and one-fifth of the world’s natural gas supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz (Congres.Gov). In response to the Iranian blockade, the U.S. began to block ships from entering and exiting from Iranian ports.
According to Dr. Bunn, this conflict is different from previous conflicts between the U.S. and Iran because of how dramatically it began. “We killed the supreme leader at the very outset. In a regime that is centered around a narrow leadership, or even in an elected regime, it would be a big deal if at the very beginning of a war the president is killed. That changed the decision making structure in important ways.”
Dr. Bunn was also able to connect the current tensions between the US and Iran to past history between the countries. “A lot of this dates back to the Americans helping to foster the coup against Mosaddegh in the 1950s and installing the Shah, who was a brutal and unpopular guy, giving rise to the Islamic revolution in the late 1970s.”
After over a month of attacks, drone strikes, and missile launches, a ceasefire went into effect on April 16 and is still in place. Talks about extending the ceasefire and trying to open the Strait of Hormuz are taking place. (AP News)
Although negotiations have been ongoing, there are still struggles in peace talks as the U.S. and Iran continue to disagree on important terms, and the U.S., Iran, and Israel continue to launch attacks. The U.S. is continuing to push for restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program and increased security around its international shipping routes. Iran demands that the U.S. lift sanctions and unfreeze assets in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the ability to continue to have a nuclear program for peaceful purposes only. (NPR)
Apart from military conflict, the economic crisis around Iran and U.S. tensions are felt around the world. Since large amounts of oil travel through the Strait of Hormuz, instability in the region is causing oil prices to rise dramatically on a global scale. These higher oil prices are leading to increased gas prices, which the American consumer market, including members of the GA community, are currently experiencing. This includes high gas prices at the pump, increased flight prices for summer vacations and college visits, and generally higher prices across the board because of the increased costs of transportation, manufacturing, and other business expenses.
Dr. Bunn noted that some GA students are 17 or 18 years old and are going to be able to vote soon. “Presidents are chosen by the people. I can’t stress enough how important it is to learn about current events so you can exercise your judgment. That’s how you fulfill the duty that you have to the country.”
Additionally, countries in Europe and Asia have been preparing for further disruptions and a continued shipping crisis. Countries closest to Iran are facing the most disruption due to their geographical closeness. Other European countries face uncertainty in their travel industries and tourism economy.