Supreme Leader’s adviser Yahya Rahim Safavi says the war front could expand beyond the Red Sea; warning comes amid sharp exchanges between Tehran and Washington
Tehran, September 24 (SDNA):
Tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified after a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned that the ongoing conflict in West Asia could potentially spread as far as the Indian Ocean if Iran faces another attack by the United States or Israel.
The warning was issued by Yahya Rahim Safavi, a senior military adviser, in a video released by Iran’s Fars news agency. He said the conflict had already expanded from the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz towards the Red Sea and could move even farther if hostilities resume.
Tehran signals a wider regional battlefield
According to Safavi, any fresh military action against Iran could result in an expansion of the current conflict beyond its existing theatres.
His comments amount to a warning about the possible geographical expansion of the war rather than a confirmation that Iranian forces have already begun operations in the Indian Ocean.
The statement comes at a time when several strategically important waterways in the region, including the Strait of Hormuz, the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb, have become closely linked to the wider conflict.
Iran says its defence strategy is changing
A separate statement from Iran’s acting defence minister also indicated a change in Tehran’s military posture.
Brigadier General Majid Ibn al-Reza said on social media that Iranian defence capabilities were being developed in line with what he described as a new defence doctrine. He made the comments after President Masoud Pezeshkian’s address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The statement suggested that Tehran intends to strengthen its deterrence capabilities while continuing to respond to what it describes as external military pressure.
Pezeshkian delivers a defiant UN speech
The latest Iranian warnings came shortly after President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the UN General Assembly on September 23.
Pezeshkian rejected calls for Iran to surrender and criticised US President Donald Trump over his threats against Tehran. At the same time, he said Iran remained open to dialogue and diplomacy provided negotiations were not conducted through threats or military pressure.
During his address, the Iranian president also displayed photographs of Iranian children killed during the conflict and presented Tehran’s account of the attacks to the international audience.
Trump had issued a strong warning
The escalation follows Trump’s September 22 address to the UN General Assembly, where he warned that the United States could take extremely severe military action against Iran if an agreement was not reached.
Despite the confrontational rhetoric, diplomatic contacts have continued. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US special envoy Steve Witkoff held talks on the sidelines of the UN gathering, with reports indicating that discussions focused on possible ways to end the conflict.
Iran has also indicated that it could reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz under certain conditions involving reduced US military pressure and the lifting of the blockade.
Why the Indian Ocean warning matters
The Strait of Hormuz connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and is one of the world’s most important energy corridors. Any wider military confrontation affecting the route towards the Red Sea and Indian Ocean could have implications well beyond the immediate conflict zone.
For now, Safavi’s comments should be understood as an official Iranian warning about a possible future expansion of the conflict, rather than evidence that fighting has already reached the Indian Ocean.
The statements underline the widening strategic dimension of the US-Iran confrontation, even as diplomatic efforts continue alongside military threats.
(SDNA)