Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf made a veiled statement regarding the Bab el-Mandeb Strait – one of the key routes for global trade through the Red Sea. International media reported this after his post on the social network X, writes UNN.
Details
Ghalibaf publicly questioned what share of global oil, liquefied gas, grain, rice, and fertilizer supplies pass through Bab el-Mandeb, as well as which countries and companies are most dependent on this route. Amid the war in the region, these words were perceived as an indirect signal of a possible threat to another strategic narrow sea passage.
Why it matters
The Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and leads to the Suez Canal, through which a significant part of global trade passes. This route is critically important not only for container shipping but also for energy supplies.
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The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen have previously attacked ships in the Red Sea. Because of this, many companies have been forced to reroute ships around Africa, which has increased costs and delivery times.
Statement amid the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz
The statement came at a time when Iran is already effectively putting pressure on the Strait of Hormuz – another key route for global energy supplies. Now Tehran, it seems, is demonstrating that it can create risks not only in the Persian Gulf but also at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.
Thus, Iran is sending a signal that it can influence several critical maritime corridors at once, on which global trade and energy depend.