Union minister Ashwini Vaishnav inspects Chenab bridge

The world’s most critical oil chokepoint is already on edge - but now, the stakes may be rising far beyond the Strait of Hormuz. A senior Iranian lawmaker is openly warning that Tehran’s leverage doesn’t stop there. The focus is shifting toward the Bab el-Mandeb Strait - a second artery of global trade that could drag the crisis into an even wider confrontation. In a striking statement, Iranian MP Abolfazl Zohrevand declared: “Whoever controls the Strait of Hormuz is clearly the victor… If necessary, we can also influence Bab-el-Mandeb.” The message is blunt: Iran is signaling it has options to escalate, potentially putting multiple global oil routes under pressure at once. Watch.