Iran Threatens Mediterranean Sea Closure Over Alleged US Support For Gaza “Crimes”

Per Iranian media on Saturday, a commander associated with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRG) threatened to close the Mediterranean Sea in the event that the US and its allies persisted in their “crimes” in Gaza.

Iran has been supporting Hamas in its opposition to Israel, and it also charges that the US supports Israeli crimes happening in Gaza, where several weeks of bombing have seen thousands of deaths and the eviction of the majority of the people. The Strait of Gibraltar, the Mediterranean Sea, and other waterways will soon close, says Brig. Gen. Mohammad Reza Naqdi, who is the coordinating commander of the Guards, was quoted by Tasnim.

In response to Israel’s attack on Gaza, the Houthi group in Yemen has assaulted merchant ships travelling the Red Sea during the last month, forcing several shipping businesses to reroute. Iran is deeply involved in organizing operations against commercial ships in the Red Sea, per the White House on Friday.

Although Naqdi mentioned the emergence of new resistance forces and the blocking of other waterways, Iran lacked direct access to the Mediterranean, so it was unclear how the Guards could try to block it off. Per Naqdi, they are stuck in the Red Sea today after the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz turned into nightmares for them yesterday.

The only parties with Iran’s support on the Mediterranean are the allied militia based in Syria and Hezbollah based in Lebanon, which are located far across the water from Gibraltar.

Reference: Reuters

Iran Threatens Mediterranean Sea Closure Over Alleged US Support For Gaza “Crimes” appeared first on Marine Insight – The Maritime Industry Guide

Source: Maritime Shipping News