Iran threatens to close Mediterranean Sea, waterways
An Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said the Mediterranean Sea could be closed if the United States and its allies continued to commit “crimes” in Gaza, Iranian media reported on Saturday, without explaining how that would happen.
The warning was aired as an Israel-affiliated merchant vessel was struck by an unmanned aerial vehicle in the Arabian Sea off India’s west coast causing a fire, British maritime security firm Ambrey.
“They shall soon await the closure of the Mediterranean Sea, (the Strait of) Gibraltar and other waterways,” Tasnim quoted Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi, coordinating commander of the Guards, as saying.
Iran has no direct access to the Mediterranean itself and it was not clear how the Guards could attempt to close it off, although Naqdi talked of “the birth of new powers of resistance and the closure of other waterways.”
“Yesterday, the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz became a nightmare for them, and today they are trapped … in the Red Sea,” Naqdi was quoted as saying.
The only groups backed by Iran on the Mediterranean are Lebanon’s Hezbollah and allied militia in Syria, at the far end of the sea from Gibraltar.
No casualtiesIn the Arabian Sea incident, the fire on the Liberian-flagged chemical products tanker was extinguished without crew casualties in the incident 200 km southwest of Veraval, India, and some 2,700 km from the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the mouth of the Red Sea where many Houthi attacks on commercial vessels have been taking place.
“Some structural damage was also reported and some water was taken onboard,” Ambrey said, adding that the vessel was Israel-affiliated.
She had last called Saudi Arabia and was destined for India at the time.
Houthi drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea have forced shippers to change course and take longer routes around the southern tip of Africa.
Iran involvementThe White House on Friday said Iran was “deeply involved” in planning operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea and its intelligence was critical to enable Yemen’s Houthi movement to target ships.
“We know that Iran was deeply involved in planning the operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea. This is consistent with Iran’s long-term materiel support and encouragement of the Houthis’ destabilizing actions in the region,” White House national security spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.
“This is an international challenge that demands collective action,” Watson said.
Iran denies involvement in attacks by the Houthis in the Red Sea.
The US last week announced a naval coalition involving 20 countries aimed at helping safeguard vessels from attacks in the Red Sea. —REUTERS
