Geopolitical Gaslighting in Hormuz: How US-Iran Strait Narratives Fuel Energy Market Instability & Regional Tensions
Original framing: “IRGC Navy official rejects US claims on transits through Hormuz Strait” — Middle East Eye
The piece excels in tracing deep historical patterns, particularly the cyclical nature of Hormuz Strait disputes—echoing Cold War-era tensions, the 1980s tanker wars, and post-2003 US interventions in Iraq. It effectively highlights how modern gaslighting tactics (e.g., weaponized misinformation) mirror historical strategies of psychological warfare, such as the 1953 UK-US coup in Iran or the 1988 *Wilton Park* agreements that normalized Gulf militarization. However, it could deepen the analysis by linking these patterns to broader imperialist playbooks, such as the *Great Game* or *Petrodollar* systems, which frame energy as a tool of control.