A Qualitative Analysis of Maritime Geopolitical Crises in the Persian Gulf

Maritime geopolitics encompasses the competition and conflict among states, groups, and political actors over the control and possession of strategic geographical assets and maritime spaces across seas and oceans. Given the growing economic and geopolitical significance of maritime domains, maritime geopolitics has emerged as a central issue in contemporary political and strategic studies. Despite its increasing importance, this domain is confronted with a range of complex geopolitical crises. Recognizing the strategic significance of the Persian Gulf and its pivotal geopolitical role for the Islamic Republic of Iran, this study seeks to identify and analyze the principal maritime geopolitical crises affecting the region. The study population consisted of experts in political and military affairs specializing in maritime geopolitics. Using purposive sampling, 15 participants were selected until theoretical saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using the Grounded Theory methodology, and interview transcripts were coded with MAXQDA software. The coding process resulted in the identification of 50 open codes, which were subsequently synthesized into 21 axial categories representing secondary crises and ultimately consolidated into four selective categories representing the principal maritime geopolitical crises in the Persian Gulf. The findings indicate that political–military crises, economic crises, socio-cultural crises, and environmental crises constitute the four major dimensions of maritime geopolitical crises in the Persian Gulf.