Is a new crisis on the horizon? Iran issues strait warning: It could be closed just like Hormuz!

Ali Akbar Velayati, an advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, stated in a social media post that the Resistance Front command views the Bab-el-Mandeb as being just as strategic as the Strait of Hormuz. In his post, Velayati used the following expressions: "If the White House plans to repeat its foolish mistakes, it will soon realize that the flow of energy and global trade can be disrupted with a single move."

Located in the southwest of the Red Sea and separating the Arabian Peninsula from Africa, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Thanks to this location, it has become one of the main transit points for trade between the Mediterranean and East Asia, complemented by the Suez Canal. According to the World Trade Organization, the Bab-el-Mandeb shortens sea voyages by approximately 14 days compared to alternative routes. Data from the International Energy Agency reveals that approximately 10 percent of the world's seaborne crude oil passes through this strait.

Previously, Brigadier General Ebrahim Jabbari, an official from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, had announced that the Strait of Hormuz was closed to transit following the attacks launched by the US and Israel on February 28, and that measures were being taken against ships attempting to pass without authorization.

CRITICAL POINTS IN OIL FLOW

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the main transit points that allows oil and liquefied natural gas leaving the Persian Gulf to reach world markets. According to S&P Global Energy data, approximately 20 percent of the global oil supply is transported through this narrow waterway. Of the approximately 15 million barrels of crude oil leaving Hormuz, 5.3 million barrels are sent to China, 2 million barrels to India, and 1.7 million barrels each to Japan and South Korea. The remaining 4.2 million barrels are delivered to other countries.

Saudi Arabia, the region's largest exporter, exports approximately 5.1 million barrels of crude oil per day through the Strait of Hormuz. This country is followed by Iraq (3.3 million barrels), the UAE (2.6 million), Iran (1.7 million), Kuwait (1 million), and other countries. Additionally, approximately 5 million barrels of refined petroleum products are shipped through the strait daily. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia also stand out in this area.

IS A NEW CRISIS ON THE HORIZON?

Iran's threat to close both the Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb straits has created serious anxiety in the world energy market. The fact that a large portion of global energy flow passes through these two straits means that a potential closure would cause prices to rise rapidly and lead to significant disruptions in world trade. Experts point out that rising tensions in the region could lead to consequences not only on a regional but also on a global scale.