Tehran Threatens to Mine Gulf Shipping Lanes as Reports Emerge of U.S. Plan to Occupy Kharg Island

Tehran warns of total maritime paralysis in the Gulf following reports that the US is planning to blockade or occupy Iran's main oil terminal on Kharg Island.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 23, 2026, 4:52 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Times of Israel

Defense Council Warns of Total Gulf Maritime Paralysis

The Iranian Defense Council has issued an escalatory ultimatum, promising to transform the entire Gulf into a naval graveyard if its sovereign territory comes under assault. In a statement released through state media on Monday, authorities warned that any military operation targeting Iran’s southern coastline or its strategic islands would trigger the immediate deployment of diverse sea mines. This would effectively extend the current blockade of the Strait of Hormuz across the entire region, creating a "long-term" maritime crisis that Tehran claims would be nearly impossible for international forces to resolve.

U.S. Reportedly Weighing Occupation of Kharg Island Terminal

The shift in Iranian rhetoric coincides with a report from Axios suggesting that the United States is evaluating aggressive new measures to break the current energy stalemate. Sources indicate that the U.S. is considering plans to either blockade or physically occupy Kharg Island, which is situated approximately 30 kilometers off the Iranian mainland. As the site of the country’s main crude export terminal, Kharg is responsible for the vast majority of Iran’s global oil shipments. Washington reportedly views control of the island as a primary lever to pressure Tehran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz to all international shipping.

Advanced Mine Warfare Threatened Against Coalition Vessels

Tehran’s retaliatory plan involves the use of sophisticated naval weaponry, including floating mines that can be released directly from the coastline into the path of incoming vessels. The Defense Council’s statement emphasized that the entire Gulf would be rendered impassable, mirroring the current restricted status of the Strait. By utilizing mobile and coastal-launched mines, Iran aims to negate the technological advantages of Western naval assets, creating a low-cost but high-impact barrier to entry for any coalition attempt to secure the waterway.