Abstract
With the discovery of oil in Khuzestan Province, Iran in 1908, Masjid-Solaiman became the first oil well in the Middle East. Over a century later, Iran now ranks as the world’s seventh-largest oil producer and Khuzestan is still the bedrock of the nation’s energy regime. Notwithstanding this, poverty in the region has grown in recent decades and unemployment is extensive. It is necessary to contextualize contemporary conditions with a deep framing acknowledging historical energy colonialism and extractivism in the region, along with more recent environmental and geopolitical concerns. We employ an energy justice framework to examine these conditions. This analysis highlights dichotomies in the nation’s political economy, specifically noting North/South geographic divides that influence concurrent migrations. We also evaluate the efforts of local actors advancing community-based approaches towards energy justice and democracy. We conclude with broader thoughts on the need for justice-centered analysis and the necessity to build global alliances to strengthen community-based energy strategies.