Geopolitical instability and militarised tourism: how Iran conflict disrupts global travel networks and economic dependencies
Original framing: “Safety first: how the Iran war is reshaping global tourism” — The Conversation - Global
The current instability in the Middle East is rooted in the 1953 CIA-backed coup in Iran, the 1979 revolution, and subsequent US sanctions that have systematically weakened Iran’s economy and regional influence. The Iran-Iraq War (1980-1988) and the Gulf Wars (1990-1991, 2003) further entrenched militarised geopolitics, creating a cycle of retaliation and economic sanctions. The 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal briefly eased tensions, but its collapse under Trump’s 'maximum pressure' policy reignited conflict.
The Iran conflict’s impact on global tourism is not an isolated incident but a symptom of a broader system where militarised geopolitics, sanctions regimes, and neoliberal tourism economies intersect to produce instability and inequality.
Western media and think tanks frame the issue through a security lens, obscuring the role of sanctions, historical imperialism, and corporate profiteering in driving conflict and displacement. Indigenous communities, local economies, and marginalised voices are systematically excluded from these narratives, while 'safe' destinations benefit from the fear generated by these very dynamics. The solution lies in decolonising tourism, reforming sanctions policies, and amplifying counter-narratives that centre justice and sustainability. Without addressing these structural forces, the cycle of militarisation and displacement will continue, reshaping global mobility into an ever-more unequal and precarious landscape.