Iran has warned that the ongoing Middle East conflict could spread to the Indian Ocean if the United States launches another attack. The warning came from Yahya Rahim Safavi, an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.
Safavi made the remarks in a video released on Thursday by Iran’s Fars news agency. He said the conflict had already moved beyond the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz toward the Red Sea.
He warned that another round of fighting could push the conflict even farther. According to Safavi, the front could eventually reach the Indian Ocean and potentially areas beyond it.
Iran Warns of Wider Regional Conflict
The latest warning comes as tensions continue across several strategic waterways in the region. Yemen’s Houthis, who are fighting Saudi-backed government forces, recently took control of parts of the Red Sea coastline.
Their position has increased pressure around the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The waterway connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and plays an important role in shipping between Asia and Europe through the Suez Canal.
Iran denies involvement in the Yemen conflict.
Tehran has also restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian officials say the move came in response to US and Israeli strikes that triggered the current conflict at the end of February.
Iranian officials had previously warned that the fighting could spread if the United States carried out further strikes. However, Thursday’s statement marked a notable escalation in the geographic scope mentioned by a senior adviser to the country’s supreme leader.
Indian Ocean Reference Raises New Concerns
Safavi’s reference to the Indian Ocean is significant because the region contains the strategically important Diego Garcia military base.
The base is located in the Indian Ocean and is jointly used by the United States and Britain. It lies nearly 4,000 kilometres from Iran.
The statement does not confirm that Iran plans to attack Diego Garcia or any other specific target. Instead, Safavi warned that continued attacks could cause the conflict to expand geographically.
The comments come as diplomatic efforts continue to find a way to end the fighting.
Iran Sets Conditions for Ending War
Officials from Iran and the United States held talks in New York this week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Tehran has outlined several conditions for ending the conflict. These include lifting sanctions on Iran’s economy and releasing Iranian assets that remain frozen overseas.
Iranian officials have also raised the conflict in Yemen as part of discussions about a possible end to the wider war.
In an interview with AFP on Tuesday, Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebi also referred to ending the war in Yemen.
For now, the latest Iranian warning adds another layer of uncertainty to the conflict. Any expansion toward the Indian Ocean could widen the geographic scope of the confrontation and raise concerns around one of the world’s important maritime regions.
