In the Direction of the Persian Gulf (1977) analyses the Soviet Union’s interest in the countries of the Persian Gulf against the background of its relations with the Arab world, and the complexities of power politics. It examines, from the nineteenth century to the present, Russia’s involvement in and efforts to gain at least a foothold, if not control of this oil-rich region. Particular attention is paid to the Soviet’s interest in Persian Gulf oil, and Russian fuel resources are also discussed. Although bilateral and multilateral local relations are closely examined, power politics in general and in the region and the Indian Ocean are not neglected. In addition to Soviet sources, the authors have used the Arab and Western press, periodicals and monitoring services extensively.