Broadcast 10 September on Iranian state satellite TV (IRINN)

The Persian Gulf has many large and small islands. There are about 130 islands in the Persian Gulf, of which 25 belong to Iran. Each of these islands has special characteristics that are always of interest. The islands of the Persian Gulf can be studied in terms of the way they were formed and in terms of the their forms. In terms of origin these islands are divided into four groups; sedimentary islands, manufactured islands, islands that were created by movement of the earth's crust and coral islands. The islands are either naturally parallel to the coast or they are more or less round. A number of islands, especially in the mouth of the Persian Gulf, follow the Zagros promontories. Geologically, they display the characteristics of the Zagros fold.

Almost all the Iranian Persian Gulf islands are inhabited. Some of them have few residents such as Hangam and Siri Islands. Some of the islands also have more families and life on those islands even goes back to the period before Christ. At the mouth of the Persian Gulf we go from the Sea of Oman to the Strait of Hormuz to Hormuz Island. This is considered the key to the Persian Gulf because it is geographically adjacent to the Strait of Hormuz. Hormuz Island has special importance commercially and for military mobilization. It has an area of about 45 square kilometers and it is 59 kilometers from the nearest point on Iran's coast.

In ancient times Hormuz Island was a place for trade with India, China and the East. History books write in detail about the prosperity of this island. The name of the Strait of Hormuz is taken from its name. Hormuz's neighbor islands are Laraj, Hangam and Qeshm.

Qeshm is the largest island in the Persian Gulf. Its area is 1,491 square kilometers. It is about 2.5 times as large as the second largest island in the Persian Gulf, Bahrain.

Before the birth of Christ Qeshm Island was prosperous and had a significant population. It was the governing center for the islands and ports of the Persian Gulf.

In the southeastern part of Qeshm Island there are caves with round entrances on a relatively high plateau which are actually stone entrances. Behind these openings is a 25-meter hallway that is 2.8 meters high, dug out with an adze.

Studies on the construction details of these caves attribute them to the time of the Medes [2000 B.C. - 800 -B.C.]. This site, which is known as the Khorbas Caves, shows the existence of a specific government and an urban civilization in the era of the Medes on Qeshm Island.

In the village of Laft on Qeshm near Naderi Castle there are 366 shallow wells for collecting rainwater, of which 100 have been excavated and are in use. These wells are known as the Golden Wells and are thought to have been dug in the time of the Achaemenids [559-339 BC].

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Sohail Forouzan-sepehr gives more information about Qeshm Island on his website.