Iran Warns of Further Escalation in Conflict, Threatening Indian Ocean Shipping
Iran has warned that another attack by the US or Israel could spread the ongoing conflict in West Asia to the Indian Ocean, posing significant risks for oil-importing countries like India and China.
The warning came from Yahya Rahim Safavi, an adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who said that the conflict had already expanded beyond the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea. He claimed that another attack could widen the geographical scope of the war further.
The Indian Ocean is a key maritime link between West Asia, Europe, and Asian markets, with increased tensions raising security risks for ships carrying oil from the Gulf.
Iran has also claimed that the conflict had already reached the Indian Ocean in March this year, when an Iranian frigate was allegedly sunk by the US near Sri Lanka.