An adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader has warned that Tehran may expand the Middle East war to the Indian Ocean if the United States launches another attack. Mojtaba Khamenei's adviser, Yahya Rahim Safavi, made the statement in a video released by Iran's Fars news agency on Thursday. Safavi mentioned that the conflict could spread beyond the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea and potentially reach the Indian Ocean.
The warning comes amid escalating tensions in the region, with Yemen's Houthis recently taking control of parts of the Red Sea coastline. This development has strengthened their grip on the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and provides a key maritime route between Asia and Europe via the Suez Canal. Iran has long provided military support to the Houthis but has denied direct involvement in the Yemen conflict.
Iran has also shut down the Strait of Hormuz off its southern coast in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that triggered the Middle East war at the end of February. The Strait of Hormuz is a critical waterway through which a significant share of the world's oil and gas previously passed before the conflict. Iranian officials had earlier threatened to widen the geographic scope of the conflict if US strikes resumed.
Thursday's warning marked the first time an adviser to the Supreme Leader explicitly mentioned the Indian Ocean as a potential expansion of the conflict. The Indian Ocean is home to the strategic US-British military base at Diego Garcia, nearly 4,000 kilometres from Iran. This development has raised concerns about the potential escalation of the conflict.
Despite the escalating tensions, officials from Iran and the United States held talks in New York this week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. The talks were another effort to end the conflict, which has been ongoing since the end of February. Iran has set conditions for ending the war, including the lifting of sanctions targeting its economy and the unconditional release of its frozen assets abroad.
A spokesman for Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Hossein Mohebi, also mentioned ending the war in Yemen in an exclusive interview with AFP on Tuesday. Mohebi's statement added to the growing indications that Iran is seeking a resolution to the conflict. However, the conditions set by Iran for ending the war remain a significant obstacle to a peaceful resolution.
The conflict in the Middle East has had significant regional and global implications. The expansion of the conflict to the Indian Ocean could have far-reaching consequences, including disruptions to global shipping and trade. The international community remains engaged in efforts to end the conflict, with the United Nations playing a key role in facilitating dialogue between Iran and the United States.
Key points
- Iran warns of expanding Middle East war to Indian Ocean if US launches another attack
- Yemen's Houthis take control of parts of Red Sea coastline, strengthening grip on Bab al-Mandab Strait
- Iran sets conditions for ending war, including lifting of sanctions and release of frozen assets
