Iran's Supreme Leader Advisor Warns the U.S.: May Block the Strait of Mandeb as Retaliation

Golden Finance reported that on April 6, Iran’s top leader’s foreign affairs adviser Velayati warned the United States on the 5th that if it “makes another mistake,” the Iran-led Resistance Front will take blocking the Strait of Hormuz as a countermeasure. On that day, Velayati wrote on social media: “Today, the unified command center of the Resistance Front views the Strait of Mandeb the same way as the Strait of Hormuz. If the White House makes another foolish mistake, it will soon realize that with just one move, global energy and trade flows will be disrupted.” The Strait of Mandeb connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and is a vital chokepoint linking the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean. This strait lies within the control area of Yemen’s Houthi forces. Some media outlets believe that Velayati’s post was a response to the threats issued by U.S. President Trump to Iran that day. On the 5th, Trump posted again, once more calling on Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz, and threatened that “April 7 will be Iran’s power-plant day and bridge day,” implying that Iran’s power plants and bridges would be hit with a fierce bombardment. (Xinhua News Agency)