Iran 🇮🇷 Warns Kenya 🇰🇪 Against Backing US-Israel Actions in Escalating Middle East Conflict
In a sharp diplomatic statement from its embassy in Nairobi, Iran urged the Kenyan government and public to stay neutral and avoid any support for US and Israeli military actions in the Gulf region.
The Iranian Embassy dismissed reports claiming the Strait of Hormuz has been closed as "false news and manipulated narratives" spread by US and Israeli "propaganda machinery" to distort public opinion and raise fears over oil prices and shipping costs affecting countries like Kenya.
The statement warns against any alignment—political, logistical, or otherwise—with what Tehran describes as "unlawful military aggression" by the United States and Israel, emphasizing that responsibility for regional destabilization lies with them. Iran signals that backing such actions could complicate access to critical global shipping routes.
This comes amid heightened tensions following reported US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Kenyan authorities had placed around 400,000 Kenyans in the Middle East on high alert and called for de-escalation. Iran's Ambassador to Kenya has stressed that Kenya is not a target while affirming Iran's right to self-defense.
Kenya, which relies heavily on imported fuel and goods via Gulf-linked routes, faces potential economic ripple effects from any disruption. President William Ruto has cautioned about risks to the economy from the conflict.
The development highlights growing geopolitical pressure on African nations as the US-Israel-Iran confrontation intensifies. No immediate response from the Kenyan government has been reported.
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