▲ Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei
Yahya Rahim Safavi, an advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Mojtaba Khamenei, warned on September 24 (local time) that if the United States attacks Iran again, there is a possibility that the front could expand all the way to the Indian Ocean.
According to AFP, Advisor Safavi said in a video released by Iran's Fars News that "since the conflict has spread from the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea, it is possible in response to further warfare that the front could reach the Indian Ocean or perhaps even beyond."
While Iranian officials have previously threatened to expand the geographical scope of the conflict if U.S. airstrikes resume, AFP noted that this is the first time an advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader has explicitly mentioned the Indian Ocean.
The Indian Ocean is home to the Diego Garcia military facility, jointly used by the U.S. and the UK, located about 4,000 kilometers from Iran.
Recently, the U.S. and Iran have resumed contacts on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly being held in New York.
U.S. President Donald Trump stated on September 23 that his son-in-law Jared Kushner and special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on September 22 to discuss pending issues.
Furthermore, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei stated the previous day that Iran had conveyed conditions for the restoration of diplomacy to the U.S. through Qatari mediators, including the cessation of hostile U.S. acts such as maritime blockades and economic terrorism, an end to the war on all fronts, the return of frozen and restricted Iranian assets, and the guarantee of safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz in accordance with an agreement between the Iranian and Omani governments.
(Photo courtesy of the Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader, Yonhap News)
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