By
D.B.S.Jeyaraj
The war of aggression waged by the US and Israel against Iran seems very likely to intensify in the coming days.Washington has threatened to escalate and expand the war further if Iran does not comply with US demands. The unreasonable demands are unacceptable to Iran. President Donald Trump’s modus operandi of pretending to negotiate peace with an outstretched hand while preparing to punch forcefully with the other hand fools very few people now. Hence there is going to be an escalation in the war resulting in more deaths, destruction, displacement and despair.
The terrible tidings of great sorrow were conveyed triumphantly to the world by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt .She warned Tehran thus – “If Iran fails to accept the reality of the current moment, if they fail to understand that they have been defeated militarily and will continue to be, President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before.” Leavitt declared pugnaciously “President Trump does not bluff, and he is prepared to unleash hell.”
The “New York Times” revealed in a news report that the Trump administration has sent a 15 -point list of demands to Iran through Pakistan. The demands include the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear facilities at Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow, a permanent ban on uranium enrichment, the handover of all enriched uranium to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), limits on ballistic missiles and the end of Iranian support for Hezbollah and allied militias. The demands amounting to a total surrender are likely to be rejected by Iran.In fact the demands seem to have been framed to elicit such a response. The easily seen through ruse is to use the refusal to accept the demands as justification to continue the war. Donald Trump crowed a few days ago that if Iran does not accept, “we just keep bombing our little hearts out.”
The five day respite announced by President Trump earlier has been Unilaterally extended firther by him by another week to April 6th. These }Pauses” appear to be necessitated for prposes of logistics. According to US media reports, between 2,000 and 3,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division’s Immediate Response Force are being deployed to the Persian gulf region. The 82nd Airborne is an elite Army paratrooper force designed for rapid insertion into combat zones—the unit the Pentagon sends when it intends to strike.
The paratroopers would supplement two Marine amphibious groups now closing in on the Gulf: The “Tripoli”, with 2,200 Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), and the “Boxer” carrying 2,500 Marines of the 11th MEU. The Tripoli is expected to arrive in the region on Friday 27th , according to “Wall Street Journal”.
Meanwhile the “Financial Times” has published a detailed assessment of how a US assault on Kharg Island—the terminal through which 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports pass—could further unfold. It reported that US forces have already struck more than 90 military targets on the island, including naval mine storage and missile bunkers, in what military analysts described as “preparing the battlefield.” The operation would involve Marines landing by V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft or by sea, with the 82nd Airborne and Army Rangers potentially seizing terrain ahead of the amphibious force disclosed the Financial Times.
“Operation Epic Fury”
It was four weeks ago on 28th February 2026 that the United States and Israel attacked Iran without a formal declaration of war. The assault was codenamed “Operation Epic Fury”.Strikes were launched against targets in many Iranian cities.Military bases,fuel facilities,.buildings,schools, hospitals and cultural sites were destroyed or damaged.Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamanei along with over 40 top leaders and officials were killed. Many civilians were also killed. In the past four weeks over 1600 Iranians have been killed.Around 4000 buildings have been damaged.
Iran responded to the aggression with missile and drone strikes across the Gulf region, hitting targets in Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. At least 19 Commercial vessels were targeted in the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of the world’s oil ordinarily flows. Shipping in the strategic strait has been effectively curtailed. Oil prices have surged past $100 a barrel. The International Energy Agency has described the situation as the “greatest global energy security challenge in history”
It appears therefore that despite facing a terrible aerial onslaught, the perceived underdog Iran has struck back strongly without wilting under pressure. Utilising its power to throttle the strait of Hormuz as leverage,Iran has dealt a crippling economic blow. Economists have predicted that if the Hormuz strait continues to remain closed, an oil barrel price will top $ 150 next month.
Under these circumstances President Donald Trump has only two options. One is to end the war and smoke the peace pipe with Iranian leaders.The other is to escalate the war further with the immediate objective of establishing control over the strait of Hormuz Sadly it looks like Trump has opted for the war escalating option.Trump has even said the Strait of ormuz should be re-named Trump Strait.
Israel
There is a growing school of thought which believes that the US has been inveigled or pressured by Israel into the war against Iran. More and more ordinary Americans feel that their country is embroiled in a war that is self-defeating and cannot be won.Only Israel may benefit , they worry. Israel’s power to influence US foreign policy is attributed to the strength of the pro-Israel lobby within the Congress. Leading academics like Prof. John Mearsheimer have opined that around 70 to 75 Senators and about 340 to 350 members of the House of Representatives are pro-lsrael.
The possible influence of the Jewish lobby in the realm of foreign policy cannot be denied. The role being played by Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu in the war against Iran is also a fact. Nevertheless the important point to note is that the US itself has its own axe to grind against Iran. The US relationship with Iran has fluctuated from time to time.It was sweet during the Iranian monarchy period.It soured after Iran became an Islamic republic. Presently there is a convergence of Interests between the US and Israel on Iran but there is no identity of interests.
It is therefore important to delve in detail into the history of US-Iran relations to comprehend the current conflict situation fully. History may be boring and irrelevant to some, but it is very necessary to have a historical perspective about a conflict which threatens to plunge the globe into chaos. It is history that helps one to analyse the past,understand the present and anticipate the future. It is against this backdrop that this column focuses on the US -Iran relationship this week.
Persia -Iran
Iran officially termed as the Islamic Republic of Iran is the 17th largest country in the world and Asia’s sixth biggest. It has a land area of 636,372 square miles and a population of 92 million.Known in earlier times as Persia, the country boasts of an ancient civilization and proud history. It was in 1936 that the name of the country was changed from Persia to Iran meaning the “land of the Aryans”.
Geographically the country is located mainly on the Iranian plateau.To it’s south are the Gulf of Oman and the Persian gulf while the Caspian sea lies to it’s north.Iran borders Iraq to the west;Azerbaijan,Armenia and Turkiye to the norh-west;Turkmenistan to the north-east;Afghanistan to the east and Pakistan to the south-east. Iran is divided into 31 provinces and 5 regions. The capital Tehran is the largest city and economic hub of the country.
The international importance of Iran lies in its strategic location. The West Asian nation is at the inter-section of Central Asia,West Asia and South Asia. It is home to the world’s fourth largest oil reserves and the second largest natural gas reserves. Furthermore , the northern shores of the strait of Hormuz -between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman -are in Iran.Prior to the outbreak of the current war, 20% of global oil supply transited daily through this key waterway.
The strategic importance of Iran therefore is two-fold. Firstly it is a question of who should control or not control the oil resources of the Persian Gulf region and on what terms. Secondly it is about the ensuring of smooth transport of oil resources and other essential items to,from and through this crucial region. The reasons cited by the US for the current crisis may vary but they are in actuality,pretexts. The fundamental causes for Iranian troubles are oil and control of the Persian Gulf.
Carter Doctrine
Jimmy Carter is regarded by many as a genuine lover of peace among post-war US presidents. Yet it was Jimmy Carter in his state of the union address of 23 Jan 1980, who proclaimed that the US would resort to force if necessary to safeguard its national interests in the Persian gulf. What Carter said then was this – “Let our position be absolutely clear: An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force”.
Those famous words described as the “Carter Doctrine” were made in the context of two matters concerning the then Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) or Soviet Union. One was that the USSR had invaded Afghanistan.The other was the civil war in Yemen where the Soviet Union backed South Yemen. The US was worried that the USSR could make inroads into Iran which had broken free of US control after the Islamic revolution and downfall of the Shah in 1979.
The Carter Doctrine of 1980 was an eerie reminder of a statement made on similar lines by former British Foreign secretary Lord Lansdowne in 1903. Perturbed over reports about Russia and Germany trying to expand their presence in the region,Lord Lansdowne declared that Britain would – “regard the establishment of a naval base or of a fortified port in the Persian Gulf by any other power as a very grave menace to British interests, and we should certainly resist it with all the means at our disposal”.
Currently the US regards Iran as being of pivotal importance to its national interest. However Western powers such as Britain and Germany realised the strategic importance of Iran long before the USA. It was Britain that dominated Persia – as Iran was named earlier – in the 19th and first half of the 20th century. It was from the second half of the 20th century that the US played a prominent role vis a vis Iran.
Chequered History.
Persia has a lengthy and chequered history. The country was fragmented for many centuries under different rulers.Several Kings and dynasties have ruled the land in the past. Among these was the Qajar dynasty which ruled from 1789 to 1925.It was Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar who founded the Qajar dynasty and ruled as Agha Mohammed Shah. After mounting the throne in 1789, he fought off rivals and rebels for some years and successfully unified Persia in 1796. He died in 1797.
The British East India company the forerunner of British Imperialism had entered Persia in early 17th century. A trade route for Silks through the Strait of Hormuz was established in 1616. British influence in Iran grew steadily over the years. Britain became very dominant in Iran during the years of Qajar dynasty rule. Britain’s supremacy in Persia became more pronounced after the Anglo-Persian war of 1856-7. The Persians were defeated by the British forces under Sir James Outram. The treaty of Paris was signed. When the 20th Century dawned “independent”Persia was virtually a British colony.
Discoovery of Oil
With the discovery of Oil, Britain set up the Anglo-Persian Oil company and began extracting Persian oil in 1908. This company later became the Anglo-Iranian oil company in 1936. Eventually it transformed into British Petroleum (BP)in 1954. While exploiting Persia’s oil resources rapaciously Britain also sought to establish greater political control,
After the Russion revolution of 1917 and end of the first world war in 1918, large numbers of the “Red Army”began entering Persia and setting up pockets of influence. Britain was unhappy over the growing Bolshevik influence in Persia. It was decided to overthrow the existing Qajar dynasty and replace the ruler Ahmad Shah Qajar.
Reza Khan
The commander of the British forces in Persia then was Gen. Edmund Ironside.On 14 January 1921,Ironside promoted Reza Khan a young Persian captain in charge of a battalion as Brigadier and appointed him as commander of the prestigious Cossack Brigade. In mid-February Reza Khan led a Cossack detachment of 3500 troops and marched towards the Persian capital .Reza Khan and his Cossacks reached Tehran on Feb 18th and captured the capital on feb 21. The ruler Ahamad shah Qajar was forced to abdicate and his Government was dissolved.
A new Prime Minister Zia Ol Din Tabatabaee was appointed. Reza Khan tok over as minister of war and commander of the armed forces.Thereafter Reza Khan set about pacifying the country. More importantly the Russo-Persian treaty of friendship was signed on 25th February. As a result of the treaty , the emerging Russia led Soviet union withdrew all military personnel from Persia. Russia also gave up the railways and ports constructed on Persian soil.
British authority in Persia was re-established after this coup d’etat. Britain had backed it discreetly and Gen. Ironside was happy about Reza Khan his choice. Reza Khan spent two years as War minister in quelling revolts and centralizing authority. He was successful in his mission.
Reza Khan returned to Tehran in 1923 and was made Prime Minister. He appointed a cabinet loyal to him. Parliament also gave him dictatorial powers. In 1925 Ahamad Shah Qajar went into exile in France. On 12th December 1925, the “Majlis”or Parliament converted itself into a Constituent assembly and proclaimed Reza Khan as the next Persian Shah or king. Three days later on Dec 15th Reza was sworn in as the Shah. His coronation was on 25th April 1926.
Pahlavit Dtynasy
Reza Khan born on 15 March 1878 founded the Pahlavi dynasty.He adopted the title Reza Shah Pahlavi as ruler. It was he who changed Persia;s name to Iran in 1936The Pahlavi dynasty ruled Persia/Iran from 1925 to 1979.It ended with the Islamic revolution of 1979. The rise and fall of the Pahlavi dtynasy along with the ups and downs of the US-Iran relationship will be related in the second part of this article
D.B.S.Jeyaraj can be reached atdbsjeyaraj@yahoo.com
This article appears in the “DBS Jeyaraj Column” of the “Daily Mirror”dated 28th March 2026.It can be accessed here –
https://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/US-Access-to-the-Persian-Gulf-Region-and-the-Strategic-Importance-of-Iran/172-336565
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