Iran warns oil pipelines bypassing Hormuz will be missile targets

Iran's Deputy Parliament Speaker Haji Babayi has threatened to target any oil pipelines built to bypass the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, asserting that these projects and their technical support serve US interests and pose a threat to Iran. During a televised statement, Babayi cautioned Gulf states against constructing pipelines that diminish the significance of the Strait of Hormuz, emphasizing that Tehran would treat any involved party as complicit in targeting Iranian interests.

He stated that any country or entity laying alternative pipelines, providing technical support, or sharing information with the US in this regard would be viewed by Tehran as aiding actions against Iran. Babayi asserted that constructing pipelines to reduce the Strait of Hormuz's importance would undermine the waterway's role while benefiting the United States, Europe, and other nations.

The economies of regional countries are heavily reliant on the Strait of Hormuz for oil exports; however, escalating geopolitical risks have prompted these nations to develop alternative routes by constructing overland pipelines to decrease dependence on maritime transit through the strait. Prior to the war, approximately 20% of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas supplies traversed the Strait of Hormuz, which separates Iran from Oman.

Despite two ceasefire agreements between the United States and Iran in April and June, shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains significantly lower than pre-war levels, with vessels in the region still encountering attacks.