Egypt is on track to complete the expansion of the Suez Canal in August—and it is about to alter the flow of global trade. The $8.5 billion project is expected to dramatically speed up trade between Asia and Europe—if Iran doesn’t interfere.

The new lane added to the canal doubles its capacity, jumping the number of transits from 49 to 97 per day by 2023. For the first time it will also provide for two-way traffic through much of the canal, which means it will drastically reduce transit times from 18 to 11 hours per vessel. Additionally, the canal will now be able to accommodate larger vessels, including large oil tankers which previously had to circumnavigate the cape of Africa on route to Europe.

The Suez Canal is one of the world’s most important trade corridors. It is the fastest shipping route between Europe and Asia, and it handles 7 percent of global seaborne trade—a number that is now set to grow dramatically. Because it links the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean, the Suez Canal has always played a key role in world affairs.

The expansion of the canal may put it back into the global spotlight. The current war between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Yemen is essentially a war over who will control the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—the narrow entrance way to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. It is not far-fetched to envision Iran ramping up its efforts to secure this region once the nuclear deal is signed and American focus shifts elsewhere.

On January 17, the Iranian state-sponsored Tasnim News Agency published an article that said boldly: “Today, all the arteries of oil transport—from Bab el-Mandeb Strait to Suez Canal and the Strait of Hormuz—are under Iranian control, by means of Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, and within range of Iranian missiles.”

With the expansion of the Suez and the increased trade that is sure to follow, Iranian influence in this region has just become much more dangerous.

For information on Iran’s grand strategy in this region and where it will lead, read Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry’s article “Iran Gets a Stranglehold on the Middle East.” In this article, Mr. Flurry explains the Bible prophecy that tells exactly why Iran is attempting to gain control over the Suez Canal and why Europe is prophesied to respond in astounding military fashion.