An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader has warned that Tehran could expand the Middle East conflict to the Indian Ocean if the United States launches further attacks.

Yahya Rahim Safavi made the statement in a video released on Thursday.

Safavi said the fighting has already spread from the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea. He added that further escalation could push the front even farther, possibly reaching the Indian Ocean and beyond.

Yemen’s Houthis, who have received long-standing support from Iran, recently tightened their hold on the Red Sea coastline and the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait. Iran itself has restricted access to the Strait of Hormuz in response to earlier US-Israeli strikes that began the current conflict.

Iranian officials had previously threatened to widen the geographic scope of the fighting if US strikes resumed. Thursday’s comments mark the first time an adviser to the supreme leader has specifically mentioned the Indian Ocean, which hosts a key US-British military base at Diego Garcia.

Representatives from both countries held talks in New York this week on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Iran has set conditions for ending the war, including the lifting of economic sanctions and the release of its frozen assets abroad.

Photo credit: Punch Newspaper