Explore Iran’s wondrous Persian Gulf islands you’ve never heard of

By Rohan Cahill-Fleury

The Persian Gulf is home to all kinds of undiscovered natural beauty. Islands are not something usually associated with the desert land of Iran. But in this vast and beautiful country, there is a bit of everything. The islands of the Persian Gulf are home to a plethora of geographical wonders, they’re easy to get to, cheap to visit, and have great weather. Yet most people don’t even know they exist.

Just a short 40-minute ferry trip from the south of Iran lie Qeshm and Hormuz islands. Between them, they boast an impressive array of sights and activities that you won’t find in many guidebooks. Qeshm Island has recently been announced as a visa-free zone for all countries, meaning even those who need a tour or special visa for mainland Iran can visit here independently with daily flights from Dubai. So if you love nature, history, culture, camels, and getting off the beaten path, Iran’s islands should be on your radar.

Chakooh canyon

This incredible feat of nature is one of Iran’s hidden gems. Swirling patterns and curved holes created in the rock by wind, water, and erosion make for a surreal scene as you wander through the canyon. Water wells have been dug into the stone and were used by local shepherds as a method of storing rainwater for the long, dry Qeshm summers.

Ancient ship building yard

All around the harbors of southern Iran, you can see the beautiful wooden ships mainly used for transporting goods to and from the United Arab Emirates. On Qeshm Island, you can see where all the action happens at the shipbuilding yard. (Although “action” maybe a bit of a strong word as one of these ships takes three years to complete!)

Depending on when you visit, you can see the ships at different stages of completion, and if they happen to be finished, you can watch the grueling one-week process of rolling the ship over logs and into the ocean.

Rainbow mountains

Hormuz Island is also given the name Rainbow Island because of the incredible colors of sand and rock visible all over the island. A walk through the Rainbow Valley to see the colorful waves through the mountains is a psychedelic experience. Shades of red, orange, and purple you didn’t think possible in rocks spiral together and blast the landscape with a mishmash of color.

So is this beautiful place packed with other tourists trying to get that perfect Insta-image? Not at all; it’s likely you’ll have the place to yourself, making the vibrant landscape feel even more surreal.

Wind towers of Laft village

Wind towers were a traditional method of cooling houses in the desert towns of Iran. The tall, intricate structures stand high over the mud roofs of the town, catching the air and venting it down into the house. Wind towers used to be visible in every village on the island, but Laft is now the only place to see them.

Portuguese castle

Yes, the Portuguese made it to the Persian Gulf too. Built-in the 1500s during the time of Portuguese colonization in the Persian Gulf, Our Lady of the Conception (or the Portuguese Castle) was constructed from the vividly red sand found on Hormuz Island. The roof has collapsed, but the outer walls are still standing and visitors can enter the castle to explore. While the castle architecture isn’t mind-blowing, it is an awesome color and it’s interesting to see the European influence on Iran’s history.

Red sand beach

The beaches of Hormuz Island are beautiful spots for chilling out, enjoying the sunset, and even camping for the night. Every beach has its own special quality, but one of the most impressive beaches is the one surrounded by deep red sand. The crimson path leading to the beach is an unbelievable color, and looking out onto the bay reveals a reddish-pink ocean washing against the shore. True to its red wine color, this sand will stain your feet red for a few days.

The traditional Bandari clothing

Like the rest of Iran, women in the south adhere to the Islamic dress code, and most wear a chador outside the house. But unlike the rest of Iran, these outfits are a celebration of color. The brightly patterned chadors are coupled with dazzling leggings in all colors of the rainbow. The women decorate their leggings themselves and each pair is a display of their artistic ability with sequins, swirls, and intricate designs showcasing their talents. Less common these days is the traditional masks that resemble a burka but also cover the nose and are often decorated in a similar way to the leggings.

Camels of the beach

Through mainland Iran and the Middle East, camels are an everyday sighting in desert areas. But on Qeshm Island, the local camel hangout is next to the sea. If you visit the beaches on Qeshm island, and you should, you’ll most likely be joined by a few of these majestic creatures vying for the best spot to get a tan. On some of the more touristy beaches, you can ride camels along the shore.

Namakdan salt cave

At 6 kilometers long, this salt cave holds the title for the largest salt cave in the world! The interior of the cave is spectacular, with rippling colors along the walls and bright white salt crystals hanging from the ceiling. Walking through the first part is easy and beautiful, but the real sight requires a bit more courage. By crawling through a small gap at the end of the cave, you can reach the grand salt dome. It’s an incredible sight to see, but not recommended for anyone suffering from claustrophobia.

Naz Island

This little island isn’t so much an attraction as the phenomenon which surrounds it, literally. At low tide, from one the nicest white sand beaches of Qeshm, you can walk or even drive across a sandy strip to explore this tiny, rocky island. Enjoy some peaceful moments watching the clear blue waters, but stay too long and you’ll be stranded as the tide rolls in and Naz Island becomes disconnected from the mainland. Make sure you time your visit to get out and back before high tide.

Mangrove forest

Known as “Hara Forest” by the locals, this expansive, tree-filled area is not your average forest. All of the trees are firmly rooted in the shallow salt waters on the north coast of Qeshm Island. The bark extracts the salt and allows the tree to feed on the freshwater, meaning these trees are some of the few that can survive in the hot, dry climate of Southern Iran. The mangrove forest is a bird lover’s paradise and taking a boat trip through the narrow canals is a great way to spot some wildlife.

Hengam Island and dolphin watching

A boat tour to Hengam Island is a great way to spot some of the many pods of dolphins living in the Persian Gulf, especially in the early morning. The tours then continue on to the small town on Hengam Island to see the local life and some souvenir stalls before heading back to the mainland.

(Source: Fodors Travel)

US-planned Persian Gulf coalition meant to blockade Iran: Commentator

https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2019/08/04/602622/Iran-US-Persian-Gulf-coalition-blockade?fbclid=IwAR23chROS_-nJnFF_bLACItMZOCcKl-U58T_oaFB5SrV8Qf_ogiulIJrEgg
New York-based political expert Nasir al-Omari (L) and independent journalist and researcher Keith Preston speak on Press TV’s The Debate program on August 3, 2019.

A political commentator says a United States-planned force seeking to sail in the Persian Gulf would be a prelude to the enforcement of a blockade against Iran.

Author and commentator Nasir al-Omari said on Press TV’s The Debate program on Saturday that although the plan has been presented to the US’s allies as a means of protecting the vessels sailing across the Hormuz Strait, “I think that the world understands that these moves are really intended to be a blockade of Iran.”

“Once you have these warships, then this turns quickly into a blockade,” he said.

The US has said the naval force would be ensuring the safety of foreign vessels sailing through the Strait of Hormuz in the strategic Persian Gulf. However, key Washington allies Germany and Japan have refused to join, and France has expressed reservations.

Omari said the rejection of the American initiative was “a positive indication” that the international community was not rushing toward a confrontation with Iran.

In order to tackle the standing escalation of tensions between Washington and Tehran at its root, he said, one has to aim for the underlying cause of the situation.

“The root problem has not been solved, and that is the sanctions against Iran,” Omari said.

Washington left a multilateral nuclear accord with Tehran and other states last year and re-imposed the sanctions that the deal had lifted. It has since been imposing further sanctions as well.

Keith Preston, an independent journalist and researcher who was also on the program, referred to Japan and Germany’s refusal to be part of the force and said, “The US’s alliances are far weaker than perceived.”

He said Tokyo and Berlin had refused because of Washington’s performance in the past, when it left the nuclear agreement with Iran “against the objection of virtually every US ally” and engaged in “disastrous” regional military interventions.

Iran had the legal right to shoot down US spy drone

The article you are about to hear has been penned by Marjorie Cohn who is professor emeritus at Thomas Jefferson School of Law and former president of the US National Lawyers Guild.

The New York Times reported that on June 20, President Trump ordered military strikes against Iran to retaliate for its shootdown of a U.S. drone, but then pulled back and didn’t launch them. Officials told the Times that Trump had approved attacks on Iranian radar and missile batteries. Nevertheless, shortly after midnight on June 21, Newsweek reported that regional U.S. military assets have been put on 72-hour standby. On June 19, an Iranian surface-to-air missile shot down an unmanned U.S. spy drone. The White House claimed that its drone was at least 20 miles from Iran, in international airspace, while Iran maintains the drone was in Iranian airspace. Iran presented GPS coordinates showing the drone eight miles from Iran’s coast, which is inside the area of 12 nautical miles that is considered Iran’s territorial waters under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Iran has the legal right to control its own airspace. The United States has no lawful claim of self-defense that would justify a military attack on Iran.

Both the U.S. and Iran are parties to the Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, which provides “that every State has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory.” Iran’s sovereignty over its airspace includes the right to shoot down an unmanned drone present without consent. “Although there is no black letter law on the question, state practice suggests that a state can use force against unmanned drones that have entered its airspace without consent,” Ashley Deeks and Scott R. Anderson wrote at Lawfare.

According to H. Bruce Franklin, former Air Force navigator and intelligence officer, “Assuming that for once Washington is telling the truth” about how far the U.S. drone was from Iran when it was downed, “it is still undeniable that Iran has the right to demand identification from any aircraft flying this near its territory”. U.S. Air Defense Identification Zones extend 200 miles from the U.S. border. “Any unidentified drone” which flew that close to the U.S. “would most likely be shot down,” Franklin added.

Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, wrote to the Security Council that the drone did not respond to several radio warnings before it was shot down. If the United States attacks Iran, it would act in violation of the United Nations Charter. The Charter only allows the use of military force in self-defense after an armed attack or with Security Council approval.

The International Court of Justice held in the 1986 Nicaragua case that an “armed attack” only includes “the most grave forms of the use of force.” No one was injured or killed when Iran shot down the U.S. drone since it was unmanned. Iran did not carry out an armed attack against the United States. Under the Caroline case, there must exist “a necessity of self-defence, instant, overwhelming, leaving no choice of means, and no moment for deliberation.” There is no imminent necessity for a U.S. military attack on Iran.

A U.S. strike on Iran would also violate the War Powers Resolution, which lists three situations in which the president can introduce U.S. Armed Forces into hostilities:

First, after a declaration of war by Congress, which has not occurred since World War II. Second, in “a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.” The loss of a U.S. drone does not constitute a “national emergency.” Third, when there is “specific statutory authorization,” such as an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF).

In 2001, Congress adopted an AUMF that authorized the president to use military force against individuals, groups and countries that had contributed to 9/11. In the past 18 years, three presidents have misused the 2001 AUMF to justify multiple military interventions.

This is happening again. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has mounted a campaign to link Iran to al-Qaeda in order to make a case that the 2001 AUMF would allow the U.S. to attack Iran.

On June 19, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed a $1 trillion appropriations bill that includes a provision repealing the 2001 AUMF within eight months. Introduced by Rep. Barbara Lee, it says the AUMF “has been used to justify a broad and open-ended authorization for the use of military force and such an interpretation is inconsistent with the authority of Congress to declare war and make all laws for executing powers vested by the Constitution in the Government of the United States.” But the GOP-controlled Senate will not pass the bill with the AUMF repeal provision in it.

Tensions between the United States and Iran have been steadily escalating. One year ago, the U.S. pulled out of JCPOA. Trump then re-imposed sanctions against Iran. After Trump designated Iran’s IRGC a terrorist group in April, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council designated the U.S. Central Command a terrorist organization. Trump ordered 2,500 additional troops and an aircraft carrier to the region. On June 13, two oil tankers one Japanese, the other Norwegian — were attacked in the Gulf of Oman. The United States blamed Iran, which denied responsibility for the attack. Neither Japan nor Norway have said Iran was responsible. Besides being illegal, a U.S. attack on Iran would prove disastrous to the entire region, and indeed, the world. The U.N. Security Council must convene immediately and act to fulfill its duty under the Charter to restore international peace and security to the region.

Hormuz Strait an Arsenal for Iran

Javad Karimi Qodousi

One of the strategic missions of the Islamic Republic of Iran is the expulsion of America from all Islamic lands, currently, Iran has reached the power to achieve goals without starting a war but just by choking the Hormuz Strait.”

Javad Karimi Qodousi, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Islamic Consultative Assembly in an interview with Qods News Agency (Qodsna) mentioned his remakrs over the issue of continuous US-Zionist scenario to pressure Tehran over regional influence.

The parliament member mentioned a meeting in which US secretary of state spoke to a group of Iranian-Americans (NIAC) last week; he briefly explained the group is maintained under CIA officials’ administration.

NIAC is financially backed by George Soros affiliates, whose main effort is to pressure the Islamic Republic of Iran. Over the past years, they have played a major to apply heavy sanctions against Iran.

The group has pursued various missions over the past years, group’s major mission was to implement the four-stage US Treasury program, and they are progressing to convince countries such as India, Turkey, and South Korea to halt relationship with Iran. The mission began last January and they are planning to continue until the end of this year. Some of NIAC members are currently in Turkey progressing to accomplish their 2nd stage of the entire mission; no doubt they will fail just like their first stage progress.

Karimi Qodousi said: “It is expected that the International Atomic Energy Agency will withdraw its stand with Iran’s peaceful nuclear program in the coming months. There are two major reasons behind this one is the US unilateral withdrawal from JCPOA and the US pressure over the agency, second is the fake allegations of Netanyahu.”

He added: “everyone knows that Iran does not need a nuclear weapon, because Iran holds a larger weapon and that is the Hormuz Strait which daily transits more than 30 million barrels per day. Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani has lately threatened to close Hormuz Strait and the Supreme Leader approved it and mentioned that all potential steps are available to close Hormuz Strait without declaring a war.”

 Regarding to Iran’s presence in Syria which became even more viral after US-Russian discussions he said: “Iran’s presence in Syria doesn’t need the US approval neither took place by Russian request, but our military advisors stepped in Syria according to Syrian legitimate government and its people, and we will continue our footsteps in Syria until peace is completely restored to the war torn country.”

The member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Parliament concluded: “One of the strategic missions of the Islamic Republic of Iran is the expulsion of America from all Islamic lands, currently, Iran has reached the power to achieve goals without starting a war but just by choking the Hormuz Strait.”