The idle threat? an assessment of the economic, military and strategic consequences of an Iranian closure of the Strait of Hormuz

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Authors
Schnars, Brenna L.
Subjects
Advisors
Kadhim, Abbas
Looney, Robert
Date of Issue
2010-09
Date
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The continual developments in the Iranian nuclear program have caused increased concern not only for the United States but the majority of the international community as well. While several rounds of United Nations sanctions have been placed on Iran, this has not deterred it from continuing its nuclear advancements. The United States has publicly announced that it does not support Iran's developing nuclear program and will inflict measures to ensure that it discontinues these advances. While these measures have not been clearly defined, Iran has stated that hostile actions taken by the international community, specifically the United States or Israel may result in the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. While Iran has used this threat in the past, primarily in the Iraq-Iran War its full strength has never come to fruition. This thesis aims to determine whether closing the Strait of Hormuz is a viable option as an Iranian retaliation mechanism against increased sanctions from the international community and the United States or a direct attack from either Israel or the United States by analyzing the economic, strategic, and military consequences for Iran, the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council States.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Security Studies
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
xiv, 119 p. ;
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.
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