Russia, China and Iran strengthen their military presence in Antarctica
After decades of calm, the status quo in Antarctica is crumbling. Today, the continent is teetering on the brink of collapse, both literally and figuratively. More and more countries are interested in using Antarctic territory, including Iran, Russia and China.
According to Censor.NET, citing Foreign Affairs, climate change is changing the physical environment, and policy towards Antarctica is changing rapidly as rivalry between major powers and growing demand for resources have brought it to the forefront of the global agenda.
China, Iran, and other countries are expanding the scope of authorised activities on the continent and contemplating future territorial claims.
For example, last autumn, Iranian Navy Commander Shahram Irani announced that his country plans to build a permanent military base in Antarctica. He went so far as to claim that Iran somehow has "ownership rights" to the South Pole.
That same autumn, the largest research corps from China arrived in Antarctica, consisting of 460 scientists. They completed their work in three months, and the station opened in February. According to the Antarctic Treaty, which regulates activities on the continent, China's actions are perfectly permissible.
"The arrival of great power rivalry to the shores of the Antarctic will mark a break with the long era when this continent was a place of international cooperation. The Antarctic Treaty, which entered into force in 1961, prohibits the use of the continent for military purposes and instead advocates scientific cooperation. This system is now under greater strain than ever," Foreign Affairs reports.
As for Russia, the armed forces provide logistical support to some national Antarctic missions. This practice is ostensibly in line with the Antarctic Treaty, but its ambiguity has obvious security implications. It is difficult to determine whether personnel are conducting civilian or military operations.
