Oil tankers operating in the Persian Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, seen from north of Ras al-Khaimah, close to the border with Musandam (Oman), on March 11, 2026. (Credit: Stringer/Reuters)
An attack on Iran's southern coast and islands will lead to Gulf routes being cut with the laying of sea mines, the country's Defense Council said on Monday, according to state media.
The U.S. is considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran's Kharg Island, the country's main oil export hub, to pressure Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to all shipping, according to Axios.
"Any attempt to attack Iran's coasts or islands will cause all access routes in the Gulf ... to be mined with various types of sea mines, including floating mines that can be released from the coast," the statement read.
"In this case, the entire Gulf will practically be in a situation similar to the Strait of Hormuz for a long time ... One should not forget the failure of more than 100 minesweepers in the 1980s in removing a few sea mines."
The Defense Council recalled that non-belligerent states may pass through the Strait of Hormuz only by coordinating their passage with Iran.
