'On Brink of World War Three': Iranian MP Links US-Iran Escalation to Ukraine and Taiwan Crises

A Tehran MP has warned that the world is 'practically on the brink of World War Three', linking the escalating US-Iran conflict to tensions over Ukraine and Taiwan. Kamran Ghazanfari made the comments in an interview with Iran's official Labour News Agency (ILNA).

Ghazanfari, who represents Tehran in Iran's parliament, argued that NATO's support for Ukraine against Russia, along with Moscow's tensions with Britain and Germany, had increased the risk of the conflict spreading to other parts of Europe.

He also pointed to the US-China dispute over Taiwan as another potential flashpoint that could contribute to a broader conflict.

US Strikes Five Iranian Tankers as Oil Surges Past $100

According to the ILNA interview, Ghazanfari said the expansion of the Russia-Ukraine war and rising tensions between major powers had created the conditions for a wider conflict. He also called the US-China dispute over Taiwan 'another area of widespread conflict in the world'.

He did not offer a timeframe for when such an escalation might occur. In the same interview, Ghazanfari said Iran could revisit the question of withdrawing from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Iran Signals Possible NPT Withdrawal

The NPT is a key international framework aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and supporting the peaceful use of nuclear technology. Ghazanfari also said there was a possibility the issue could be put back on parliament's agenda.

He did not specify when parliament might take up the issue, and Iran's government has not confirmed any formal move to withdraw from the treaty. His remarks come as the conflict involving Iran, the US and Israel enters its seventh month.

Fighting Intensifies Across Multiple Fronts

US Central Command said its forces destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on 8 September, four in the Gulf of Oman and one near Kharg Island.

The US said the strikes followed repeated attempts by Iranian forces to target a US Navy warship, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that further Iranian attempts to strike US vessels would carry a direct cost.

'Iran continues to try to hit US naval ships, and for every time they do that or try to do that, they're going to lose tankers,' Rubio told reporters during a visit to Colombia. Iran's Revolutionary Guards separately said they had attacked what they described as a US base at Al Azraq in Jordan using ballistic missiles, in retaliation for the tanker strikes.

Jordanian authorities said the country's air defences intercepted missiles launched towards its territory, while other missiles landed in unpopulated areas, according to reports. The Iran-backed Houthi movement also struck several cities in Saudi Arabia this week, wounding at least 73 people and disrupting operations at energy facilities.

Oil Prices Surge as Markets React To Rising Tensions

Brent crude surged past $100 a barrel on Wednesday, reaching its highest level since 24 July, as markets weighed the risk of further disruption in the region.

The rise came as the conflict continued to raise concerns about potential disruption to energy supplies.

Ghazanfari's comments offer an indication of how some hardline figures in Iran view the conflict.

By linking the US-Iran war to Ukraine and Taiwan, he presented the fighting as part of a broader global power struggle rather than solely as a contained regional dispute.

His remarks could add to debate in Iran over future policy, particularly the question of withdrawing from the NPT. However, his comments do not amount to a formal Iranian government decision to leave the treaty.

Combined with Rubio's warning of further tanker losses, the exchanges this week suggest tensions remain high. The developments have also contributed to renewed pressure on global oil markets.