During the 1980s, in the context of the Iran-Iraq War,
tensions in the Persian Gulf reached a critical level. In 1987, under President
Ronald Reagan, the Kuwaiti government formally requested US support due to
constant Iranian attacks on commercial and oil tankers transiting the region.
The growing threat to shipping lanes jeopardized the global
oil supply and the stability of one of the world's most important trade
corridors. In response, Washington decided to intervene to protect Kuwaiti
vessels, reinforcing its naval presence in the Gulf and escorting ships to
guarantee freedom of navigation and deter aggression.
Referring to these events, Toria Brook argued that the
confrontation with Iran is not a recent problem, but rather a geopolitical
challenge that has persisted for decades. In that regard, he stated that the
actions taken by President Donald Trump represent an attempt to address and
offer a solution to a conflict whose roots date back, at least, to the late
1980s.