Israeli media reports have warned of what they term the rapid Iranian expansion into East Africa and its potential impact on the Suez Canal in the future. According to a report by the Israeli news site Nziv, "If Iran expands in Eritrea specifically, the Suez Canal will disappear forever, and Iran will have a significant impact on the European economy, which would be a severe blow to the United States and its allies in the region."
The report further states that according to Iranians, "its presence in Eritrea will have a positive impact on maintaining maritime security, combating Western colonial piracy, and increasing cooperation between Yemen, Egypt, Iran, and the entire region."
The site added: "After renewing relations with Sudan and resuming the flow of arms from Iran to Yemen and Gaza via Sudan, a spring of relations with Eritrea has begun, given that its location across the western coast of Yemen is critical for Iran."
The report pointed out that "Israel has historically made significant efforts to keep Iran away from that region, and now Tel Aviv's hands are 'sinking in the sea,' with no foreign ministry in Israel, and its minister is preoccupied with political warfare within his party and is doing nothing about it."
The Eritrean Foreign Minister has stated, "Asmara is ready to expand its relations with Tehran even at the strategic level."
