Iran warns US warships against entering Persian Gulf

Iran has warned that US warships will not be allowed to re-enter the Persian Gulf under any circumstances, as tensions rise amid threats of renewed American and Israeli attacks. Major General Ali Abdollahi, chief of staff of Iran's armed forces and commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said Iranian forces had weakened the US Navy's ability to approach the Gulf and Iran's territorial waters. 'We will not allow US military ships in the Arabian Gulf under any circumstances and at any time,' Abdollahi said, according to remarks carried by Iranian state television and Press TV. He said Iran's armed forces had rendered the US Navy ineffective, despite Washington's reliance on its naval power to project strength and exert pressure on Iran and the wider region. According to Abdollahi, American naval vessels were no longer capable of approaching the waters surrounding the Persian Gulf or Iran's territorial waters. 'The US president can only dream of seeing his military personnel and army enter the Persian Gulf again. They will take this wish to their graves,' he said. Abdollahi also questioned why US warships were not approaching the Strait of Hormuz or Iran's maritime and land borders, using the phrase 'rusting warships' to criticise American military forces. Abdollahi accuses Trump of misleading public The Iranian military chief linked his warning to US President Donald Trump's repeated statements about Iran's nuclear programme and his insistence that Tehran must never acquire nuclear weapons. Abdollahi accused Trump of making contradictory statements intended to mislead international public opinion, particularly the American people, over Iran's nuclear facilities and military capabilities. He challenged the US president's claims about the destruction of Iran's military assets, asking why American forces would not approach the Strait of Hormuz if Washington was certain it had eliminated Iran's military capabilities. Abdollahi portrayed Iran's ability to deter US naval forces as evidence of the effectiveness of its armed forces. However, his claims about the US Navy's capabilities were not independently established in the provided reports. Prolonged confrontation will deepen US difficulties Abdollahi also warned that a prolonged confrontation would further entangle the United States in the conflict. He said US and Israeli forces were becoming caught in their own traps and argued that continuing the confrontation would push Washington deeper into what he described as a quagmire. The remarks signal Tehran's continued defiance as the possibility of renewed military action remains a concern across the region. Abdollahi's comments came amid mounting US and Israeli threats of renewed attacks on Iran. US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack had warned that Washington could 'absolutely' strike Iran as soon as the weekend, adding to uncertainty over the conflict's next phase. Iran's latest warning over the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz highlights the strategic importance of the waterways, which are central to regional security and international energy shipping.