The US Could Seize These Three Iranian Islands, Experts Say

RFE
27 Mar 2026, 20:45 GMT+10

US President Donald Trump has warned of possible further action against Kharg Island, a key oil terminal of Iran and a major cog in the country's economic machine.

But experts say three other Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf could also be part of efforts to pressure Tehran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a key artery for global oil and gas supplies.

The tiny islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb sit near the mouth of the 39-kilometer-wide waterway, giving them strategic value.

Internationally recognized as part of Iran, the islands are also claimed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Tehran gained control of the territories just a day before the creation in 1971 of the UAE, which was until then was an informal British protectorate.

The largest of the islands, Abu Musa, is home to around 2,000 people. The two smaller islands are mostly uninhabited and home to naval and military facilities.

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