TEHRAN, IRAN — An adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has warned that Tehran may expand the Middle East war to the Indian Ocean if the United States launches another military attack on the country, raising the stakes in an already volatile confrontation.
The adviser, who spoke to Iranian state media on Wednesday, said Iran has the capability to disrupt shipping routes and target US interests far beyond the Persian Gulf if Washington escalates its military campaign. He described the threat as a “legitimate right of self-defence” and warned that the consequences of any new US attack would be felt across the region and beyond.
“If the United States makes the mistake of attacking us again, we will not limit our response to the region. The war will spread to the Indian Ocean and to other areas where American interests are vulnerable. We have the means and the will to defend ourselves,” the adviser stated.
The warning comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear programme and its support for militant groups in the Middle East. President Donald Trump told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that he had to choose whether to “annihilate” Iran if it fails to make a deal, delivering a stark ultimatum to Tehran.
Iran has responded defiantly, with senior officials saying the country will not be intimidated by US threats. The adviser’s remarks are the strongest indication yet that Iran is prepared to widen the conflict if attacked, a move that could disrupt global oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and the Indian Ocean.
The Indian Ocean is a critical route for global trade, particularly for oil shipments from the Middle East to Asia. Any disruption to shipping in the region could have severe consequences for the global economy, sending oil prices soaring and disrupting supply chains.
Military analysts say Iran has developed asymmetric warfare capabilities, including fast attack craft, mines, and coastal defence missiles, that could be used to disrupt shipping in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Iran has also invested in drones and cyber capabilities that could be deployed against US assets in the region.
“Iran’s threat to expand the war to the Indian Ocean is a serious escalation. It shows that Tehran is prepared to go beyond the immediate theatre of conflict and to target US interests in a much wider area. This would be a dangerous development,” said Dr. Farhad Rezaei, a Middle East security analyst.
The United States has maintained a significant military presence in the Middle East, including naval assets in the Gulf and the Indian Ocean. The US Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, is responsible for protecting shipping routes in the region, and any Iranian attempt to disrupt those routes would likely provoke a strong response.
The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has called for restraint from all parties, warning that a wider conflict would be catastrophic for the region and the world. He urged the United States and Iran to return to the negotiating table and to resolve their differences through diplomacy.
“The situation is extremely dangerous. A wider conflict would have devastating consequences for the Middle East and for global peace and security. I urge all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to pursue dialogue,” Guterres said.
As tensions continue to rise, the international community is watching closely, hoping that the US and Iran can step back from the brink of a full-scale war. For now, Iran’s threat to expand the conflict to the Indian Ocean has added a new dimension to the crisis, and the world is holding its breath.
