Strait of Hormuz conflict empties docks and dockside livelihoods in Iran
War and naval blockade have crippled port activity and fishing along Iran's Strait of Hormuz coast, residents say.
Along the Iranian shore of the Strait of Hormuz, the rhythms of daily work have been upended by months of conflict. In Bandar Abbas, a key commercial hub, docks that once handled dozens of trucks laden with food and meat each day now sit largely idle.
Mohammad Torabian, a local resident who works at the Panj Pelleh dock, described a sharp reversal of fortune. Before the war, he said, the dock was a bustling point for unloading supplies. Now, he says, it is nearly empty, and the men who once found work there—many of them, he noted, had served on the frontlines—struggle to find any employment at all. He estimated that around 500 people in the area previously earned their living from this trade.
Further out, the dangers are even more tangible. Abbas Golzanaei, who ferries passengers to ships and nearby ports, said he used to travel as far as 30 miles from shore. Now, he says, he cannot safely venture beyond six or eight miles. The sea, in his words, is not safe.
Fuel shortages compound the hardship. Golzanaei said gasoline is difficult to obtain, and social media clips have shown long queues outside stations in southern coastal provinces.
The economic strain follows repeated military action in the region. The conflict, which began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, has seen on-and-off fighting persist even after a ceasefire was announced in June. Negotiations have since collapsed, and both sides have sought to inflict economic damage.
Recent days have brought fresh violence. Last Tuesday, strikes killed five civilians, most of them wedding guests. Over the weekend, US forces struck three Iranian oil tankers, saying the move came after navy warships were targeted with ballistic missiles. Washington has also enforced a naval blockade of Iranian ports, aiming to cut off oil exports and pressure the economy.
For the workers of Bandar Abbas, the combination of insecurity and economic blockade has made survival itself a daily struggle.