[75850] Hossein Shariatmadari calls for the closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait in response to American pressure
[75850] Hossein Shariatmadari calls for the closure of the Bab al-Mandab Strait in response to American pressure
The editor of the 'Kayhan' newspaper, who is close to the Supreme Leader of Iran, calls for the use of Houthi forces in Yemen to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait as a countermeasure to the naval siege imposed by the US on Tehran.
Regional Tension: Iranian demand to block shipping lanes
In a series of publications on May 30, 2026, Hossein Shariatmadari, editor of the conservative newspaper 'Kayhan', known for its line identified with the Iranian regime and its extremist stance, called on the Iranian government to actively act to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait. According to reports circulated on various Telegram channels, most notably اخبارفوری خبرفوری جنگ امریکا فوری and خبرفوری جنگ🚨اخبارفوری امریکا فوری, the central claim is that the American naval siege on Iran constitutes a "war crime" and "piracy".
Shariatmadari argues that the Iranian regime's hands are not tied in the face of American actions. According to him, the "Achilles' heel" of the current equation is blocking the strait to vessels belonging to countries defined by him as "hostile". The editor added that the "Islamic Resistance of Yemen" (the Houthis), which operates its own communication channel called مقاومت اسلامی انصارالله یمن, has previously expressed readiness and even gained relevant operational experience to carry out such a move.
The message, which received wide distribution in channels identified with the Iranian establishment such as حامیان پزشکیان and تهران آنلاین, seeks to provide international legitimacy for the act of blocking international shipping lanes by claiming that if the siege on Iran is not anchored in international protocols, then blocking the strait should not be considered as such either.
The reports reflect a hardline narrative that attempts to shift the focus of the conflict with the West from the diplomatic arena to the maritime battlefield, while using proxy organizations as a means of economic and strategic pressure on the global market.