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Iranian fishermen feel waves of tension from the US

Friction between the West and Iran threatens to rile the waters for fishermen near the Strait of Hormuz.
Local fishermen move their boat to a safe place during Cyclone Gonu in Jusk seaport, 2000 km (1240 miles) southeast of Tehran, June 6, 2007. Iran does not expect any disruption to oil exports from a cyclone that swept nearby Oman for a second day on Wednesday, a senior Iranian oil official said. REUTERS/Rezvani/Fars News (IRAN) - GM1DVKSEXTAA

BANDAR ABBAS, Iran — As waves hit the coast of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran every evening, dozens of fishermen sit together and chat about their concerns and what they do all day. Their conversation isn’t just about fish, a fisherman named Farshad explains. It’s about working just a few kilometers from where war could take place.

“It’s not an easy job,” the 60-year-old tells Al-Monitor. While arranging his net he adds, “I have done this job for the last 45 years. My father and my elder brother both wanted me to work with them. I didn’t have many [jobs] to choose from, and I thought this was the safest. I might be right, but not always.”

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