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Iran Widens Maritime Threats In Bid To Keep Oil Prices High Ahead Of US Vote
Iran is stepping up attacks on commercial shipping and expanding its maritime operations in an effort to keep global oil prices elevated and influence the outcome of the US midterm elections, two senior Iranian officials have said.
Tehran has sought to tighten its control over the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28. The waterway carried about a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas trade before the war.
Iran’s restrictions and attacks have sharply reduced shipping traffic through the strait, pushing up oil prices, although some shipments have continued to pass through.
One of the Iranian officials said Tehran began using different offensive tactics against vessels it considered to have violated its restrictions about 10 days ago, leading to an increase in attacks. The officials said the new approach involved changes in both the nature and frequency of operations and had been approved at the highest levels of Iran’s leadership.
“The aim is to frustrate efforts by the United States and its allies to bring down global oil prices,” one official said.
A US military official also confirmed a change in Iran’s tactics, saying the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps had begun using unarmed personnel in small boats to identify potential targets, including US naval vessels, after American strikes destroyed much of Iran’s radar capability.
In one previously unreported incident last week, US forces identified Iranian spotters operating from a dhow and relaying information about targets to the IRGC. The US military confronted the vessel, instructed its occupants to abandon ship and then destroyed it. No casualties were reported, the official said.
The US official added that Iran had been unable to prevent an increase in oil exports through the strait without risking its remaining fast boats, particularly after American strikes severely damaged its navy.
The conflict has also become a significant issue ahead of the US midterm elections in November, which will determine control of Congress. The war is estimated to cost the United States $3 billion a month.
President Donald Trump has been considering his next steps against Iran but has said he will not launch further attacks before the elections.
Washington has continued to apply economic pressure through a naval blockade of Iranian ports and expanded sanctions, seeking to push Tehran towards an agreement to end the conflict.
The confrontation has left global energy markets vulnerable to further disruption, with the risk of attacks and rising shipping and insurance costs complicating efforts to restore normal maritime traffic.
Commercial shipping attacks around the Strait of Hormuz have recently reached their highest level since the war began, according to independent data. At least five incidents involving tankers and other commercial vessels were recorded in the area over a 48-hour period, including drone strikes, based on maritime security reports and incidents reported to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency.
The level of activity was comparable to that recorded between October 3 and 5, suggesting a fresh escalation, according to data from the International Maritime Organization.
“There is a tempo increase in strikes, which looks deliberate,” a maritime security source said.
The Iranian officials also said Tehran planned to extend its operations beyond the Strait of Hormuz to the Gulf of Oman and other waters. Maritime security assessments indicate that attacks may already be spreading to areas beyond the strait, including waters off Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
One Iranian official said Tehran would not allow Trump to reduce oil prices before the November vote.
“Just when they think they are getting close to the point where prices will fall, we will push them away from it. This is a game of chess,” the official said.
“Such vessels would be safe nowhere, even outside the Strait of Hormuz.”
Both officials warned that Iran was moving towards a complete shutdown of passage for vessels it considers to be violating its restrictions. One said, “It will be complete closure soon.”
The Pentagon and Iran’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In its latest report on Sunday, the US Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center described the threat to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz as “severe”, its second-highest threat level.
The centre said IRGC attacks, attempted attacks and harassment continued, including drone overflights, targeted surveillance of merchant vessels and occasional radio calls to ships.
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