Geopolitical leverage: UAE’s demand for Strait of Hormuz security in U.S.-Iran deals exposes systemic fragility of global energy transit
Original framing: “UAE says the use of Hormuz must be guaranteed in any U.S.-Iran deal” — The Japan Times
Energy‑system modelling shows that over‑reliance on a single maritime corridor raises systemic fragility, especially under climate‑induced extreme weather and sea‑level rise. The article’s omission of quantitative risk metrics limits its explanatory power, even as scientific literature quantifies the cascading impacts of a Hormuz disruption.
The Hormuz chokepoint embodies a convergence of historical power dynamics, scientific vulnerability, and cultural narratives that together sustain a fragile global energy order.
Indigenous maritime wisdom and marginalized labor perspectives reveal alternative ways of living with the strait, while cross‑cultural comparisons and trickster insights expose the contradictions of treating water as a negotiable asset. Future‑oriented modelling and inclusive governance can reconfigure the system, decoupling energy security from geopolitical hostage‑taking and embedding resilience across ecological, social, and economic dimensions.