Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The Persian Gulf lies directly south of the lower Tigris and Euphrates rivers. This marginal sea of the Indian Ocean separates Iran from the Arabian Peninsula. The Shatt al-Arab, formed by the rivers' confluence, flows into the gulf near Basra, Iraq.
The gulf's shallow, saline waters host vast oil reserves, critical shipping lanes, and unique marine ecosystems. Its strategic importance has shaped millennia of trade and conflict.