AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Thai PBS page, with 9.5 million followers, is known as a popular media outlet in Thailand in the fields of politics and international affairs. In its recent interview with M.R.O.M.L. Chalerm Yoovidhya, known as "Mom Pluem," it addressed the latest news related to the third imposed war on Iran. Mom Pluem is a well-known political analyst in Southeast Asia, recognized primarily for his frank and critical views.
This media figure, on the analytical program "Thai PBS," referring to the leading role of the defending country against the American-Zionist aggressor countries, said, "From the early days of the United States' attack on the Islamic Republic, Iran's decisions were never solely conditional on American threats. Contrary to a global norm, this time the targeted country has placed the United States and its international allies in a defensive posture, acting in reaction and even withdrawing the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln from Iran's territorial waters somewhat immediately. The main point in the resulting arrangement and shift is that even if Iran claims to have several 'cards' in hand and Trump disregards this, Iran's allied officials—including war commanders and diplomats active in the international arena—continue on their path and do whatever they want."
Stating that the cost of the imposed war on Iran is being paid by the countries of the world, he added, "The consequence of the cards Iran holds is that, beyond the disruption caused by the Houthis in the Bab al-Mandab Strait and the Red Sea, which directly affects maritime transport, this impact is not limited to oil but also includes petrochemical products and general goods—items that must pass through the Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandab but face numerous challenges due to the disruption of peace in the Middle East by the United States. If these sea routes, like the Strait of Hormuz, are disrupted, we will go beyond what we previously feared—the 'era of expensive oil'—and enter a period where many essential goods will become scarce."
This senior international affairs expert recalled, "If problems escalate, the first card Iran will likely play to exit the crisis is to use the Houthis to disrupt Bab al-Mandab, although in his view, the situation has not yet reached that stage. The second card, even more dangerous than the aforementioned, concerns the vital gas pipeline lines in Saudi Arabia. If these become targets of Iran, it will disrupt living conditions for many countries."
Criticizing the United States' foreign policy for upsetting the global balance, he stated, "In such a specific situation, can we really expect Iran and Saudi Arabia, which have appeared as hostile countries against each other, to sit down with American efforts and intervention, based on deep regional commonalities, and say, for example, 'We are both Islamic countries, and based on this shared qibla and belief, let's talk to each other and not fight, and not let America divide and control us?' Such a demand will never happen. In a pre-determined American plot, Iran and Saudi Arabia have no interest in negotiating, and in the meantime, if Iran wants to play an even more dangerous card, it could target Saudi Arabia's oil pipelines along with the Houthis."
Chalerm Yoovidhya, speaking about the adverse effects of the new American and Israeli war against the Iranian nation, said, "Currently, Saudi Arabia cannot easily export oil by sea, but if these pipelines also fail, global oil prices will rise sharply. The reason oil prices are not very high today is that Saudi Arabia can still use these pipelines, and previously prices were lower because Iran could export its oil by sea. But now Iran no longer has that option, and if Saudi Arabia's pipelines are also targeted, another important source will be lost."
He expressed, "In general, each of these cards can cause trouble for all of us here, but not for Trump! When Iran threatens that it has a 'winning card,' media outlets around the world headline it, and people get worried, when in fact, those who should be worried are us, not America."
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