Bandar-e Jāsk

Jask lies on the Gulf of Oman coast of Hormozgan, where the open sea meets the arid Makran shore. Its exposed harbor has little fresh water, but the position outside the Strait of Hormuz made it valuable for ships approaching the enclosed Persian Gulf. Fishermen used monsoon winds and coastal currents to work the sea.

In 1616 an East India Company ship carrying the company’s first shipment arrived from India. English merchants founded a trading post three years later, and Jask became their main commercial port for central Iran until Bandar Abbas took over. Portuguese attempts to block English ships led to fighting in the late 1620s, ending in their defeat near Jask.

Local Baluch communities supplied food, water and guides, while ships exchanged cloth, metals, spices and grain. The route linked the Indian Ocean with the interior through Makran and Persian roads. Jask’s identity comes from this exposed coastal gateway and the struggle for maritime access outside Hormuz. Fishing villages supplied passing ships. Local boats carried fish and dates.