Iran on Monday threatened to place naval mines across the entire Persian Gulf if “the enemy” targets its southern coast and islands.

“Any attempt by the enemy 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,” Iran’s Defense Council stated.

“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 US is considering plans to seize or blockade Iran’s Kharg Island—the country’s primary oil‑export hub—as a means of pressuring Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Seizing the island could also serve as leverage to compel Iran to keep the strait open, while providing a forward base for strikes against the Iranian mainland.

Previously, Iran threatened that oil and energy sites linked to the US would “immediately be destroyed” if Kharg Island came under attack.

The US is preparing to deploy about 2,500 Marines and additional warships to the region. If Iran refuses to comply with President Trump’s ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the US may launch an operation to reopen it.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)