Iran has warned that it will not allow US warships to approach the Persian Gulf and has threatened to sink any American warship it encounters at sea, as US President Donald Trump reportedly considers renewed military strikes or a tighter blockade against the country.
Ali Abdollahi, head of Iran’s armed forces, issued a sharp warning to Trump, saying any plan to send US troops back to the Persian Gulf would come at a heavy cost. He also challenged Washington’s claims that it had destroyed Iran’s military capabilities, arguing that US warships were still reluctant to approach Iranian territory.
Abdollahi said Tehran was fully prepared to respond to any attack by the United States or Israel.
The escalating tensions have sent global oil prices soaring to around $117 a barrel. Attacks on oil tankers have also continued along the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, a key international shipping route.
Meanwhile, fighting involving Yemen’s Houthi forces and Saudi Arabia has intensified again, adding to concerns about a wider regional conflict.
Turkey, Pakistan and European countries have held talks in Istanbul in an effort to ease the crisis, but neither the United States nor Iran participated in the meeting.
Turkey has warned that another attack on Iran could set the entire region ablaze. Tehran, however, has said it will not engage in negotiations or reopen the Strait of Hormuz unless Washington ends its attacks and pressure on the country.