A SENIOR Iranian official has warned that escalating pressure from the United States could trigger disruption at a second key global shipping route, underscoring the danger of a broader regional crisis beyond the Strait of Hormuz.
Bernama-MNA reported Iran’s Expediency Discernment Council member Ali Akbar Velayati saying repeated “mistakes” by Washington could lead to the closure of the Bab el-Mandeb, a vital passage linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.
He described the waterway as strategically equivalent to Hormuz in the eyes of what he termed the “resistance alliance”, signalling that Tehran and its regional partners could widen the scope of maritime pressure if tensions escalate.
The remarks follow renewed threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, who has vowed to launch major strikes on Iran unless it fully reopens the Strait of Hormuz by an imminent deadline.
In a social media post, Velayati suggested that Washington risked underestimating the consequences of its actions.
He warned that the White House would quickly realise that global energy flows and trade routes could be disrupted “with a single signal” if what he called “foolish mistakes” were repeated.
Velayati added that while the United States had historically learned from its encounters with Iran, it still failed to fully grasp the region’s geopolitical dynamics, implying that any direct challenge could trigger immediate strategic repercussions.
The Bab el-Mandeb strait, located off the coast of Yemen, is a critical artery for shipping bound for the Suez Canal and a key corridor for global oil supplies.
The warning comes amid heightened tensions across the region, with Yemen’s Houthi movement — aligned with Tehran — previously signalling readiness to target the waterway in solidarity with Iran. Past attacks on vessels in the Red Sea during the Gaza conflict caused significant disruption to international trade.
Analysts say the latest statement points to a potential expansion of the crisis beyond Hormuz, raising the stakes for global shipping, energy markets and wider economic stability. - April 6, 2026
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