Iran on Wednesday threatened that it could open a new front in the Bab al-Mandab Strait in case of any provocation or attacks in Iranian territory, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency cited an unnamed military source as saying.
The source said Iran had the capability to pose a “credible threat” in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which lies between Yemen and Djibouti. Tehran has already disrupted and has the ability to control the passage of vessels through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s oil is shipped.
This comes even as the country’s Parliament speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf warned of “relentless attacks” on a regional country, which he claimed was supporting the United States in plans to occupy an Iranian island.
“Based on some data, Iran’s enemies, with the support of one of the regional countries, are preparing to occupy one of the Iranian islands,” Ghalibaf said, adding that “all enemy movements” were being monitored by the Iranian forces.
“If they step out of line, all the vital infrastructure of that regional country will, without restriction, become the target of relentless attacks,” the speaker said in a post on X.
Iran reviewing proposal to end war, says senior official
Meanwhile, despite the initial negative response, a senior Iranian official said Tehran is still reviewing a US proposal to end the conflict in West Asia.
This comes even as Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said that while Tehran was reviewing the proposals, which had been sent through mediators, the country had no intention to negotiate with the US. Araghchi said that the exchange of messages via mediators “does not mean negotiations”, contrary to what US President Donald Trump and his officials have been saying.
Pakistan had earlier delivered a 15-point proposal on behalf of Washington to Iran. While senior Iranian officials scorned the proposal, there has been a delay in providing a formal response to the proposal.
Meanwhile, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt issued a warning to Iran Wednesday, saying Trump “does not bluff and is prepared to unleash hell” if Tehran does not accept its defeat.
