Who owns Kharg island and why travellers refer to it as the'forbidden island'

Kharg island is suddenly in news because of the US-Iran war, but for a long time it has been referred to as the 'forbidden island' by travellers. The continental island is owned by Iran and it is located in the Persian Gulf.

The island is small- extends for 25 kilometers and is located in the northwest of the Strait of Hormuz. Kharg Island is significant in current scenario because it provides a sea port for exporting nearly 90% of Iran's oil products. It is also an important storage facility.The city of Kharg and the Jazireh-ye Khark Lighthouse are located on the island, which has its own freshwater supply. Before it developed into a major oil terminal in the 1960s, Iranian writer Jalal Al-e-Ahmad famously called the island "The Orphan Pearl of the Persian Gulf.”The island contains several important archaeological sites, including ruins of a Christian monastery dating from possibly as far back as the 7th century. There are also tombs, temples, and the Achaemenid inscription of cuneiform writing dating from between 550 and 330 BCE. It has been an important trading post for centuries, controlled by the Portuguese Empire from the 16th to the 17th centuries and by the Dutch colonial empire in the 18th century.

The island of pearlsThe island is mentioned in the Hudud al-'Alam as a good source for pearls around 982 CE.Discovery of 'the' inscriptionIn 2007, an Achaemenid-era (550–330 BCE) cuneiform inscription in Old Persian was found on Kharg Island. Carved on a coral it had Old Persian semi-syllabic cuneiform inscriptions. It is estimated to be around 2,400 years old. The inscription caused social media furore and further intensified the controversy of the naming of the Persian Gulf.

In 2008, the inscription was seriously damaged by unknown miscreants.Why it’s called the “forbidden island”Tourists can visit Kharg Island in Iran but it requires a special permit and an approved guide. Often called the "Forbidden Island" or "orphan pearl," the island is a highly secure area and advanced paperwork and approvals are required to visit it.Military and strategic importanceKharg Island is Iran’s main oil export hub, handling a large portion of the country’s petroleum shipments.

Because of this, it is tightly controlled by the government and protected by the military.Very limited access to civilians and foreignersEntry to the island is limited and regulated. You generally need special permission to visit, especially if you are not connected to the oil industry or government work. This restricted access gives it the reputation of being “off-limits.”History of conflict and security concernsDuring the Iran–Iraq War, Kharg Island was heavily bombed because of its oil facilities. Since that time, its security has remained strict, reinforcing its closed-off image.Industrial place, not a tourist destinationUnlike many islands, Kharg has not been developed for tourism. It’s dominated by oil terminals, storage facilities, and worker housing, so it doesn’t welcome casual visitors.