نشریه مطالعات خلیج فارس
سال سوم شماره 4 (پیاپی 12، بهار 1397)

The Persian Gulf is one of the most ancient habitats of human beings, and it is believed that civilization originated in the regions surrounding this waterway. The people of the countries in the Persian Gulf region, Iranians and Arabs, played a significant role in the history of human civilization. Due to its supreme geographical situation and its vicinity to fertile countries, the Persian Gulf has always been the target of belligerent leaders and conquerors of the world including Alexander of Macedonia, who had a huge share in the economic revival of the Persian Gulf and the flourishing of trade in this region. Alexander and his successors showed great interest in the commercial relationships between the countries in the Persian Gulf region and the Mediterranean countries, and some new cities and ports were made on the coastlines of the Persian Gulf during his time. The present study was intended to provide an answer to the following questions: Given all the destructions and miseries created by Alexander of Macedonia in Iran, were there any commercial relationships among the countries in the Persian Gulf region, and was commerce as profitable as it was in the past? A presupposition based on which these questions can be answered is that during the reign of Alexander, in spite of the massive destructions and calamities that he and his successors caused, he was well-aware of the significance of the Persian Gulf region and its coasts, and that is why he dispatched some of his commanders to its coastlines to develop some ports and build some cities there.

The Persian Gulf has enjoyed particular importance as a commercial and military waterway since centuries ago in Mesopotamian civilization. The existence of ancient monuments and artifacts of the Elamite period in the coastal regions of the Persian Gulf in ancient Bushehr (Lian) indicates that this region was the business center of the Elamites, the most powerful ancient government prior to the arrival of Aryans there. The Achaemenid Empire, particularly Darius I, ruled a vast region of Asia and Africa and navigated their waters through the same waterway. Alexander and the Seleucids were aware of the significance of the Persian Gulf and had developed a massive naval force in order to connect with India in the East and the Red Sea in the West. During the Parthian Era, systematic commercial activities were conducted in the Persian Gulf, and it was always tried to protect the security of trade exchanges in this realm. In the Sassanid period, Iranian traders and navigators succeeded in taking control of sea trade with China through the Persian Gulf and, on the threshold of the rise of Islam, sea commerce became greatly profitable and thriving in this waterway. The present paper aims to reveal the particular political and economic status of the Persian Gulf in ancient periods.

The works and writings of several Muslim geographers play a significant role in developing the knowledge of the geography of Iran and the Persian Gulf. The writing of books on geography began among Muslims in the third and fourth centuries (AH) and continued until the Mongol, Ilkhanid, and Timurid periods in the seventh and eighth centuries (AH). Among such works, reference can be made to Nihzat al-Qulub by Hamdullah Mostofi in the Ilkhanid period and Geography of Hafiz-i Abru in the Timurid Era. In both books, the writers have referred to the historical geography of the Persian Gulf. Nihzat al-Qulub is an eighth-century text, which is of great significance in the geographical study of several Islamic regions of that time. Hamdullah Mostofi refers to the Persian Gulf as Bahr-i Fars (the Sea of Fars) or simply as the “Sea” or “Bahr” (Arabic for sea). Among the other noteworthy bookswhich are of great significance in introducing the geography of the Persian Gulf is Geography, by Hafiz-i Abru, one of the most famous historians of the Timurid period. Like Nihzat al-Qulub, this book also plays a great role in introducing the Persian Gulf. The present study investigates the coasts, ports, and islands of the Persian Gulf and the rivers that flow into this waterway from the viewpoints of Hamdullah Mostofi and Hafiz-i Abru in order to provide some knowledge regarding the Persian Gulf.

The purpose of the present study is to examine the history of the name of the Persian Gulf from the Pre-Islamic period until now, which has been one of the hotly debated and multi-dimensional discussions of the recent decade. Iranians are among the earliest people who resided around the Fars Sea. The Persian Gulf has been called Narmarratu in Sumerian and Assyrian inscriptions; however, since the time of Iranian’s residence in this region, it has always been called the Persian Gulf. This is confirmed by different pieces of evidence recorded in all related ancient sources and history and geographybooks. Consequently, it can be claimed that the neighboring Arab countries use of some forged names for the Persian Gulf during the recent years originates in their attempts at protecting their oil-related benefits in this waterway. Moreover, it demonstrates the exploitative activities of the West in this strategic region, which has always been of great significance because of its open and warm seas and rich oil resources in the Middle East.

The security of the Persian Gulf has always been among the concerns of the countries in this region. A scrutiny of the role of the governments in the Persian Gulf region reveals that they are after their own economic and national interests and creating optimal conditions for their survival. On the other hand, the massive arms deals, as an extremely dangerous and provocative factor, is increasingly threatening the security of this region. Given the geographical and geostrategic roles of this Gulf, the Islamic Republic of Iran, as an important player in the leadership of the Persian Gulf region and the Middle East, also tries to successfully deal with the challenges ahead through providing some strategic models. Hence, in this paper, while introducing the existing security challenges and the role of influential countries in creating them, the writers have tried to investigate the different ways of dealing with them and establishing a consistent system of security management in the Persian Gulf region.

The Organization of urban spaces based on native and local approaches with a focus on the preservation of ancient-historical monuments demands a particular scientific and administrative process. The historical texture of cities plays a key role in developing tourism and entertainment activities, social and economic activities in urban areas, and urban management. Accordingly, it seems necessary to organize historical cities based on scientific optimization and renovation principles. The purpose of the present study is to organize the urban spaces of the coastal city of Siraf in order to protect its valuable historical monuments. In doing so, the researchers have employed a descriptive-analytic method based on document, library, and field studies in the city of Siraf on the coastline of the Persian Gulf. The required data were collected from the whole city and analyzed in correspondence with the past and present conditions of this city. Given the dispersion of the historical areas of Siraf, its structure and linear shape, its place in the urban network of Kangan county, and the population changes there, the findings of the study indicate that the physical expansion and formation of the new urban spaces have created a variety of problems and difficulties for the optimal exploitation of Siraf’s historical texture. Hence, considering the significance of the historical texture of Siraf in developing, optimizing, and renovating this city, extensive care is required to preserve it. In line with such considerations, the authors have provided some administrative priorities and strategies for the organization of the urban spaces of Siraf in order to enhance its future prosperity, development, and dynamism.