December 01, 2023 | Claire Jungman and Daniel Roth
In the wake of Hamas’ massacre of 1,200 Israelis on October 7, Iran has taken advantage of the ensuing chaos to escalate its policy of maritime aggression. Some of Iran’s and Iranian proxies’ recent bold maneuvers include: the hijacking of and hostage-taking aboard MV Central Park; attacking the Israeli-owned container ship CMA CGM Symi using a bomb-carrying Iranian drone, and; launching missiles at the USS Mason.
Iran’s maritime aggression is often indicative of regional tensions. November was a clear reminder as Iranian Deputy Parliament Speaker Mojtaba Zonnour issued a stark and oft-signaled warning about Persian Gulf shipping safety. IRGC-tied Zonnour warned that Iran is permitted to inspect and potentially halt vessels traversing the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global energy shipments, should they be deemed a threat to Iranian national security. Just as Iran engages in hostage diplomacy, it conducts ship seizures for similar political gains and concessions.
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