Inside Kharg Island, Iran’s oil lifeline under threat
The Take
Al Jazeera
4.7 • 747 Ratings
🗓️ 17 April 2026
⏱️ 18 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Kharg Island is the heart of Iran’s oil trade and now a front-line target in the war. The US has struck military sites on the island and is enforcing a naval blockade on Iranian ports. But 8,000 people live there. What is life like when bombs fall and the ships stop moving?
In this episode:
- Seamus Malekafzali (@Seamus_Malek), Journalist
Episode credits:
This episode was produced by David Enders, Chloe K. Li with Spencer Cline, Tuleen Barakat, Catherine Nouhan, Noor Wazwaz, and our host, Malika Bilal. It was edited by Tamara Khandaker and Sarí el-Khalili.
Our sound designer is Alex Roldan. It was mixed by Rick Rush. Our video editors are Hisham Abu Salah and Mohannad al-Melhem. Alexandra Locke is The Take’s executive producer.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Al Jazeera Podcasts. |
| 0:07.0 | Today, a small island carrying the weight of a war. |
| 0:16.0 | If Iran chooses poorly, then they will have a blockade and bombs dropping on infrastructure, power, and energy. |
| 0:25.2 | With the U.S. saying it's ready to restart combat if Iran doesn't agree to a deal, |
| 0:30.4 | what could that mean for the people of Karg Island? |
| 0:34.2 | I'm Malika Bilal and this is The Take. |
| 0:43.6 | Hey there. |
| 0:50.3 | As you're watching today's episode, leave us a comment letting us know what you think and what stories you want us to do next. |
| 0:53.6 | And if you're listening on a podcast app, leave us a review. |
| 0:55.5 | It helps other people find the show. |
| 1:01.6 | My name is Seamus Malik-Efsili. I'm a journalist and writer based in New York City, and I am the |
| 1:08.0 | co-host of the Turbulence Podcast with Dylan Sava. |
| 1:11.3 | Seamus, welcome to The Take. It's good to have you. I followed your work for a long time now, |
| 1:16.0 | and I'm excited to get into this with you, especially because today you are taking us to |
| 1:22.0 | Karg Island in Iran, a place the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has previously bragged about |
| 1:29.2 | obliterating. What should we know about Harg Island? |
| 1:33.9 | Harg Island is an island off the coast of Kuwait, nearer to the coast of Kuwait and Iraq, |
| 1:39.5 | that is owned and administered by the Zon Republic of Iran. The estimates range from about 8,000 to about 20,000 people live on the island, most of whom are in the oil industry. |
| 1:51.0 | Khark. It handles about 80 to 90 percent of Iran's oil exports. |
| 1:56.0 | Wow. |
| 1:57.0 | And it is very, very important to the Iranian economy. |
| 2:02.6 | Okay, so this island has been part of this two-stage pressure campaign in the U.S. Israeli |
... |
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