Oil. Everything runs on it. From cars and trucks, to planes and trains, to nuclear power plants and X-ray machines, oil, and its gasoline derivative, has become the backbone of modern civilization.
Though debates over oil have never been easy discussions, in 2026, disputes over oil have become a full-out justification for war. The recent conflict between the United States and Iran — though currently in a two-week-long ceasefire — has shown that the world’s need for oil is more than an economic dependency, but a driving force behind the majority of modern geopolitics.
In recent weeks, tensions between the United States and Iran have increased dramatically, leading to staggeringly high death tolls that have not been replicated by the U.S. and the Middle East since 2017. That being said, these civilian casualties were in no way needed in order for the United States to gain more oil, which begs the question of why 3,000 Iranian civilians were killed in the first place. Despite the world’s dependence on oil, the need for natural resources does not constitute the constant lack of diplomacy and the disrespect for human life that is currently happening in the Iran war.
At the center of this conflict lies the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s main waterway and one of the most important checkpoints for oil in the world. The closure of this strait would almost certainly lead to a global energy crisis, as 20 percent of the world’s oil supply is shipped through the strait. Since the start of the war, only 120 ships have gone through the strait instead of the typical 130 per day. The United States, hoping to maintain economic stability and access to natural resources, sent in their military on Feb. 28, 2026. However, the military actions that followed were not simply a defensive strategy, but a showcase of how dependence on oil has become one of the most important dictators of American foreign policy and a chief concern of nations around the world.
“Because of me,” President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post, “IRAN WILL NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON and, very quickly, you’ll see Oil start flowing, with or without the help of Iran and, to me, it makes no difference, either way.” This statement walks a line of truthfulness. It claims that the conflict is centered around maintaining global peace and security, while conveniently forgetting to mention the thousands of Iranian civilian deaths as a consequence. By saying that the oil will be able to flow “with or without Iran,” Trump turns a complicated altruistic and geopolitical emergency into a battle with the sole purpose of ultimate resource control. Trump’s goal is not the protection of civilians, Iranian nor American, but to have a monopoly over natural resources, using the claim of Iran never getting a nuclear weapon as a justification for the atrocities committed on the civilians and land of Iran.
Governments prioritizing natural resources over civilian lives is not a new phenomenon, but the scale and transparency of what is happening in the U.S.-Iran conflict has escalated in a way that will change global politics forever. Although oil is the foundation of our modern world, our dependence on it is fueling global conflict, destruction, and major loss of life. The lack of diplomacy, rationality, or concern for human life by the Trump administration displays how easily the narrative of security and resources can be used to justify the harm caused to countless civilians.