Iran’s Arsenal Starts With Its Islands

Foreign Policy | Alexandra Sharp

Iran’s strategic islands in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, including Qeshm, Kharg, and Greater Tunb, function as critical military fortresses and economic powerhouses that would serve as the operational centerpiece in any full-scale conflict. These nine highly consequential territories provide the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps with significant defensive and offensive capabilities to control vital maritime chokepoints.

Historically, these islands have allowed Tehran to project power, secure its domestic oil export infrastructure, and establish a formidable anti-access/area-denial envelope against hostile naval forces. As geopolitical tensions escalate between the United States and Iran, these fortified positions present severe tactical challenges for American military planners. Any potential invasion or maritime interdiction campaign in the region must directly confront these island bastions, which are heavily integrated into Iran's broader asymmetric warfare doctrine. Consequently, these territories remain the primary geographic anchors for Iranian deterrence and regional energy security.

Comment

The fortification of Qeshm Island with subterranean missile silos reflects the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy's doctrine of asymmetric coastal defence. By deploying Ghadir anti-ship cruise missiles and speedboats directly into the rugged topography of the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran bypasses its lack of a conventional blue-water fleet. This geographic dispersion ensures that localised command units can execute denial operations even under conditions of total electronic isolation from the mainland. Consequently, these island bastions function as unsinkable missile platforms that offset the technological superiority of foreign carrier strike groups in the narrow Persian Gulf.

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