Apr 08, 2026
3 min read
A top adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei threatened that Iran's allies would close the Bab al-Mandeb shipping route, as has happened...
5 The impact of Iran's threat to close the gap of Bab al-Mandeb, one of the most dangerous places in the world.
THERAN - Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei's top adviser has threatened that Iran's allies could close the Bab al-Mandeb shipping channel as Tehran has done in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Bab-al-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is a major waterway for international oil trade.Its importance has increased since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world's oil and gas passes in peacetime.
"If the White House dares to make a foolish mistake, they will soon realize that global energy and trade flows can be disrupted with a single move," Velati wrote.Iran's state television later confirmed his warning.
This follows US President Donald Trump's threat to bomb Iran's power plants and bridges from Wednesday this week if Tehran refuses to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.Iran says the Strait of Hormuz is open to ships from countries negotiating safe passage - except for the US and Israel.Trump has previously threatened to bomb Iran's desalination plants.
But if Bab el-Mandab is closed, the impact will be more than just ongoing war – it could worsen the global energy supply crisis caused by the conflict, and worsen the economic turmoil felt in factories, kitchens and gas stations around the world.
This strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, which then extends into the Indian Ocean.At its narrowest point, the stretch is 29 km (18 mi) wide, limiting traffic to just two lanes for incoming and outgoing shipping, and is effectively controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis.
The Yemen-based group is central to Iran's so-called "axis of resistance" — a coalition of groups ideologically or tactically aligned with Tehran that Velayati appeared to be referring to in his Sunday post on XX.
This strait is a vital route used by Saudi Arabia to send its oil to Asia.When the Strait of Hormuz is opened, it will also be an important route for the Gulf countries, apart from Saudi Arabia, to export crude oil, gas and other fuels to Europe through the Suez Canal or the Sumed Pipeline (Suez-Mediterranean) on the Egyptian Red Sea coast.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and is an important waterway for global oil trade.Its importance has increased since Iran effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil and gas flows in peacetime.
5 Effects of Iran's Threat to Close the Bab al-Mandab Strait, One of the World's Nightmare Scenarios
1. Front of effective resistance
Ali Akbar Velayati, Iran's former foreign minister and a veteran diplomat known for his influence within the government, warned X on Sunday that "the united command of the resistance front sees Bab al-Mandeb the same way it sees Hormuz."Iran's state-run Press Television confirmed his warning.
This followed US President Donald Trump's threat to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges from Wednesday this week if Tehran did not agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.Iran has said Hormuz is open to ships from countries negotiating safe passage, except the United States and Israel.Trump has previously threatened to bomb Iran's desalination plant.
However, if Bab al-Mandab is closed, the impact will be more than just an ongoing war - it could worsen the global energy supply crisis that the conflict caused, deepening the economic chaos being felt in factories, kitchens and gas stations around the world.
2. The Houthis are the main players
This strait lies between Yemen in the northeast and Djibouti and Eritrea on the Horn of Africa in the southwest. This strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden, which then extends into the Indian Ocean.It is 29 km wide at its narrowest point, limiting traffic to just two lanes for inbound and outbound shipping, and is effectively controlled by the Iran-backed Houthis.
The Yemen-based group is at the core of Iran's so-called "axis of resistance," an alliance of groups ideologically and tactically aligned with Tehran, as noted in an article in Velocity Sunday's X.
3. Disruption of global energy supply
This is one of the most important sea routes in the world. The strait is an important route used by Saudi Arabia to send oil to Asia. When the Strait of Hormuz is opened, it will become an important route for the Gulf countries except Saudi Arabia to export fuels such as crude oil and gas to Europe through the Suez Canal and the Sumed Pipeline (Suez-Mediterranean) on the Red Sea coast of Egypt.
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