Geopolitical leverage: UAE’s demand for Strait of Hormuz security in U.S.-Iran deals exposes systemic fragility of global energy transit

Indigenous and local communities along the Persian Gulf have historically managed maritime resources through collective governance systems, such as the *hama* traditions of the UAE’s coastal tribes, which emphasize shared responsibility over territorial control. These systems were dismantled by colonial-era border demarcations and later by state-led development projects that prioritized hydrocarbon extraction over ecological balance. The current crisis underscores the fragility of state-centric security models compared to community-based resilience frameworks.

The Strait of Hormuz has been a geopolitical flashpoint since the 1950s, when Western powers formalized its militarization to secure oil flows from the Gulf. The 1980s 'Tanker War' during the Iran-Iraq conflict demonstrated how regional conflicts could disrupt global energy markets, a pattern repeated in 2019 with Iran’s seizure of tankers. The U.S. Fifth Fleet’s permanent presence since 2008 institutionalized the strait as a Western-protected chokepoint, embedding dependency on fossil fuels into global governance.

In contrast to the West’s state-centric security paradigms, many African and Asian cultures view maritime routes as communal spaces requiring diplomatic negotiation rather than coercive control. The Indian Ocean’s historical 'monsoon diplomacy'—where trade and cultural exchange thrived despite political rivalries—offers a model for de-escalation. The UAE’s demand for guaranteed Hormuz transit reflects a narrow, extractive worldview that contrasts with Indigenous Pacific Islander traditions of 'ocean governance' based on kinship and reciprocity.

Scientific literature confirms that chokepoints like Hormuz are critical vulnerabilities in global supply chains, with 20-30% of oil and 30-40% of LNG passing through annually. Climate change exacerbates risks by intensifying regional conflicts over water and arable land, further destabilizing transit corridors. Alternative energy pathways, such as hydrogen corridors or regional renewable grids, could reduce dependency on Hormuz but require coordinated investment and policy shifts.

Artistic and spiritual traditions in the Gulf region often depict the sea as a living entity deserving reverence, as seen in Omani *barasti* poetry or Iranian *marsiya* lamentations for ecological loss. These cultural expressions highlight the moral dimensions of energy extraction, framing the strait not as a resource to be controlled but as a sacred trust. Contemporary artists like Bahraini Ali Hassan are increasingly using their work to critique the militarization of maritime spaces.

Scenario modelling by the International Energy Agency suggests that a 50% reduction in global oil demand by 2040 could render Hormuz’s geopolitical leverage obsolete, though this requires unprecedented policy coordination. Regional cooperation models, such as the proposed 'Gulf Hydrogen Corridor,' could diversify energy transit while reducing dependence on single chokepoints. Failure to transition risks locking the world into a cycle of escalating regional conflicts and energy shocks.

Marginalised voices include the 200,000+ laborers from South Asia and East Africa who maintain the Gulf’s energy infrastructure under exploitative conditions, their suffering obscured by state narratives. Indigenous groups like the Ahwazi Arabs in Iran or the Baloch in Pakistan face state repression for advocating for environmental justice in transit zones. Women-led cooperatives in Yemen and Oman, historically managing maritime trade, are systematically excluded from decision-making processes.