Iran could expand the ongoing war into the Indian Ocean if the US or Israel launches another attack, an adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has warned.
Major-General Yahya Rahim Safavi issued the warning in a video released by Iran's semi-official Fars news agency. "Since the conflict has spread from the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea, it is possible that, in response to more war, the front will expand even further, reaching the Indian Ocean and perhaps beyond."
Iran's military has prepared plans for the worst-case scenario if US-Israeli attacks start again, he added, while praising Yemen's Houthis for taking over the Red Sea coastline.
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"For more than 100 years, Yemenis have stood up to any invading force that sought to encroach on their territorial integrity in any way," he said. "I must state here that if the Americans start a new war, a new front centred on the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait may open up before their very eyes."
The strategically important Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which connects Asia and Europe via the Suez Canal, was recently taken over by Yemen's Houthis, who are battling Saudi-backed government forces.
Although Iran denies any role in the Yemeni crisis, it has long supported the Houthis militarily.
In response to US-Israeli bombings that started the Middle East conflict at the end of February, the Islamic Republic has also closed the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Iran.
A large portion of the world's gas and oil flowed through Hormuz before the war, and the United States and Iran are currently fighting for control of the region.
Iranian leaders had previously threatened to extend the conflict's geographical reach if US strikes resumed. However, the Indian Ocean, which is home to a vital US-British military facility at Diego Garcia, over 4,000 miles from Iran, was specifically addressed by an adviser to Iran's supreme leader on Thursday for the first time.
In an additional effort to put a stop to the dispute, representatives from both nations met this week in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Iran has outlined its demands for the conflict to stop, including the unconditional release of its frozen foreign assets and the removal of economic sanctions.
India has also been affected by the conflict, with another Indian seafarer losing his life near Oman, close to the Strait of Hormuz, on Wednesday.
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