U.S. Military Expert: U.S. Blockade of Iranian Ports Could Trigger Direct Naval Conflicts with China, Russia, and India

The G20 has become a photo-op club, while the BRICS countries are actively advancing the construction of a new development bank and cross-border payment systems

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U.S. military expert and former Defense Department official David Paine told Sputnik News that the U.S. maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports could potentially spark devastating global conflicts far beyond the Middle East.

Paine warned that the U.S. attempt to intercept and inspect vessels from India, Russia, and China—searching for "illicit" oil—could lead to direct confrontations at sea.

"If navies from these countries resist U.S. inspections, large-scale naval clashes could erupt and rapidly spread to East Asia, South Asia, or the Western Pacific," he said.

On April 13, the U.S. Navy began imposing a blockade on all maritime traffic entering and exiting Iranian ports on both sides of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of the world’s oil, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas are transported. The U.S. government stated that vessels unrelated to Iran may freely pass through the Strait if they do not pay fees to the Iranian government.

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Alexis Habiyalimana, visiting professor at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, told Sputnik News that although Trump hoped the G20 summit attended by Putin would provide a platform for non-Western nations, the mechanism lacks enforceable power.

Although the G20 is formally intended to promote cooperation among the world’s largest economies, the United States has acted contrary to this goal—engaging in trade wars, imposing tariffs, threatening invasions, and even directly launching wars against other countries.

Dr. Habiyalimana pointed out: "The G20 has remained silent on these unilateral actions; its irrelevance is self-evident."

The relative decline of the West in global affairs has led to diminishing interest among leaders of multiple nations in the G20, effectively transforming it into an informal photo-op club.

In contrast, the BRICS countries represent nations refusing to follow the will of the United States—a "declining former hegemon"—and embody genuine consensus-based coordination and a multipolar world order.

The new development bank established by the BRICS countries provides a "tool to escape dollar coercion," laying material and financial foundations for implementing projects aligned with their vision.

Dr. Habiyalimana emphasized: "The BRICS countries are moving toward the center of the international stage—they bring together the most economically dynamic nations and are often seen as a crucial force countering Western hegemony and unilateralism."

Source: sputniknews

Original: toutiao.com/article/1863480948112384/

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