The Defence Minister of Iran Mohammad Reza Ashtiani warned that a planned United States-backed multinational task force to protect shipping in the Red Sea would face “extraordinary problems”. These threats were said because the US said last week it was in talks with other countries to set up a task force after attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthis in Yemen. Ashtiani said “Nobody can make a move in a region where we have predominance,” with him referring to the Red Sea. The U.S. is planning to create a maritime task force to ensure the safe passage of ships in the Red Sea. This task force will have ships from at least four countries the US, France, the United Kingdom, and Israel. In response to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, Yemen’s Houthis have been attacking vessels sailing through the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean. More than 6 million barrels pass through the strait every day and the American and French navies strengthened their presence in the Red Sea to protect ships from being seized or attacked by the Houthis.
This is very important for the region because it will protect the ships in the Red Sea. Houthis have a history of attacking ships in the Red Sea. During their conflict with a Saudi-led coalition, they attacked the frigate Al Madinah. With the U.S. wanting to make a task force in their region the only way Iran can stop them from doing so is by protecting the ships themselves. If Iran does not do this though the task force will have to be sent to the Red Sea. If Iran decided to attack or make the job task force more difficult it could lead to the vessels in the Red Sea being attacked.
This relates to our international relations class because of international security. The security threat of Houthis threatens the U.S. and any other country from getting their energy supply. This would be bad for the other countries because if they do not get this energy they will face economic consequences they will have to respond by sending a task force to protect the ships. Iran is upset about this task force because of foreign countries coming into their region with military forces. This threatens them and they will not like it if they come and are destined to respond to the power coming into their region.