According to a report by NBC News on April 3, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf appeared to threaten to block commercial shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital chokepoint in the Red Sea. Ghalibaf reportedly posted on social media platform X, asking, "What percentage of global shipments of oil, liquefied natural gas, wheat, rice, and fertilizer pass through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait?" He continued, "Which countries and companies account for the largest share of cargo transported through this strait?" Ships transiting the area have been repeatedly attacked in recent years by the Houthi rebels in Yemen, allied with the Iranian regime. This threat to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait comes at a time when Iran has already largely cut off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has thrown the global economy into chaos. (Reference News)