Iran, Major Warning! Strait of Mandé, Breaking News! Russia urgently evacuates 198 people

Strait of Mandeb, sudden developments!

According to reports from U.S. media, the speaker of Iran’s parliament has threatened to cut off commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Mandeb, the throat of the Red Sea.

Market analysts point out that the Strait of Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz together form the two major “chokepoints” for Middle East oil exports. If the blockade of the Strait of Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz is layered on top of each other, it may further drive the continued spike in crude oil prices.

As for the latest developments in Iran’s situation, according to CCTV International News, a spokesperson for the Central Command of the Iran Armed Forces, Hatam Ambia, issued a statement warning the U.S. and Israel, saying, “If the situation continues to escalate, the entire region will become a living hell for you.”

Of note, on the 4th, the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Iran was attacked again. Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation has evacuated 198 people from the nuclear power plant. The CEO of Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation said that the situation around the nuclear power plant is moving in the most unfavorable direction, and the risk of a nuclear accident is increasing.

U.S. media: Iran’s parliamentary speaker threatens to cut off shipping through the Strait of Mandeb

On the afternoon of April 5, the reference news report, citing a report from the website of NBC News in the United States dated April 3, said that Iran’s parliamentary speaker Mohammad Baqir Qalibaf appears to have vowed to block commercial shipping traffic through the Strait of Mandeb, the Red Sea throat route.

According to the report, Qalibaf wrote on the social platform X: “How much of the oil, LNG, wheat, rice, and fertilizer shipments in the world have to pass through the Strait of Mandeb?” He then added: “Which countries and companies account for the highest share of the cargo transported through that strait?”

The threat to the Strait of Mandeb was issued at a time when Iran has already, to a large extent, cut off shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has thrown the global economy into chaos.

The Strait of Mandeb connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. It is a “chokepoint” that links the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean. At its narrowest point, it is only about 30 kilometers wide, and is known as the “water corridor” connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa. According to available information, about 12% of global trade transport and nearly the same proportion of maritime oil trade pass through the Strait of Mandeb. In the earlier conflict between Israel and Palestine, in retaliation for attacks by Israel’s military on the Gaza Strip, Yemen’s Houthi armed forces repeatedly attacked Israel-related ships in the Red Sea, demonstrating its military capability to cover the Red Sea.

Some analysts believe that if the Strait of Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz were to be blockaded in combination, it could further drive the continued surge in crude oil prices. At that time, the global economy would have to face a series of severe pressures at the same time, including shipping paralysis, higher logistics costs, inflation spiraling out of control triggered by energy shortages, and manufacturing being forced to cut production due to disruptions in the supply of raw materials.

In late March, an Iranian military source who declined to be named said that if the enemy attempts to launch ground operations against Iranian islands or the mainland, or to pressure Iran in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman through naval actions, Iran would open a new front at the Strait of Mandeb. A member of the political bureau of the Yemeni Houthi armed forces, Mohammad Bhootie, also said that in support of Iran, the group may block the Strait of Mandeb.

Iran issues a warning: If the situation escalates, the whole region will turn into hell

According to CCTV International News, local time on April 4, a spokesperson for the Central Command of the Iran Armed Forces, Hatam Ambia, issued a statement warning the U.S. and Israel, saying, “If the situation continues to escalate, the entire region will become a living hell for you.”

The statement said that on the morning of April 4, Iran carried out the 94th wave of strikes in “Operation True Promise 4.” On the morning of the 4th, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy and Air and Space Forces used missiles “Hajji Qasim,” “Heba’er Sheqan,” and “Kader” to carry out the 95th wave of strikes against U.S. and Israel targets. The statement also said that an Iranian attack was carried out on a merchant ship flying a third country’s flag and affiliated with Israel, at Khalifa bin Salman Port in Bahrain.

On April 4, local time, officials in Bushehr Province said that the area around the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant was attacked again; this was the fourth attack since the U.S.-Iran conflict.

The official said that the attack resulted in the death of a security personnel at the nuclear power plant and caused damage to an ancillary building, but did not affect the nuclear power plant’s normal operation. The Iranian side said that the relevant attack violates regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency concerning the safety of nuclear facilities. As for the situation, further notification is still needed.

Russia’s state nuclear energy corporation CEO Likhaχov said on April 4 that after the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant was attacked, the company’s personnel at the nuclear power plant began taking buses to withdraw to the border between Iran and Armenia, with plans to fly back to Russia from Yerevan, the capital of Armenia. The first batch of evacuees totaled 198 people. Likhaχov said that after the U.S. and Israel attacks near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, the situation around the nuclear power plant is developing in the most unfavorable direction, and the risk of a nuclear accident is increasing.

According to CCTV News, on April 4, Iran’s Foreign Minister Aragchi warned on social media that Israel and the United States are bombing the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant; if this causes a nuclear leak, neighboring countries closer to the nuclear power plant will be threatened to their lives.

The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is located outside the southern Iranian city of Bushehr, built along the coastline of the Persian Gulf, and is the only nuclear power plant operating within Iran.

The Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant project was initially launched by Germany’s Siemens in the 1970s, but was later interrupted due to pressure from the United States. In 1995, Iran and Russia signed an agreement under which Russia would continue the construction of the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. In September 2013, Russia formally handed over the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant to Iran.

On April 4, local time, Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zakharova commented on the renewed attack on the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, saying that Russia is deeply concerned and strongly condemns this atrocity that caused casualties.

Zakharova said that Russia has noted the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Grossi, expressing deep concern over this attack, and that he clearly emphasized that the areas where the nuclear power plant and its key nuclear safety systems are located must never become targets of military strikes.

Proofread by: Liu Xingying