Durra Gas Field Crisis of 2023 in Light of The Rules of International Law

Objectives: This study aims to highlight the dangers posed by the territorial dispute over the gas field between Iran, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. It focuses on peaceful methods to resolve such conflicts and clarifies the reasons fueling these disputes, particularly the reliance on national legislation to define territorial waters and economic zones, without considering international law principles regarding the rights of adjacent states. Methods: This study adopts the historical approach to explore the relationship between Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Iran regarding the gas field claims. It also employs a comparative approach to analyze similar international disputes and a descriptive approach to assess the gas field's ownership under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Results: The study finds that the Dorra gas field is rightfully Kuwait's, without shared rights with any other regional state, and highlights Kuwait's right to partner with Saudi Arabia. Key findings include the need to pursue peaceful dispute resolution methods and the importance of avoiding armed conflict whenever possible. Conclusion: The study concludes that the Dorra gas field is located in Kuwait's exclusive economic zone. Iran's national legislation, which defines its economic zone and territorial sea, contradicts international law and aims to claim the Dorra field under its sovereignty. Kuwait's agreement with Saudi Arabia to jointly exploit the field is a legitimate right. Iranian objections have a defined path for peaceful resolution and should not escalate to armed conflict.