A spokesman for the Iranian military said that the United States should be wary of any aggression in the Persian Gulf. His comments come in the wake of U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to target Iranian IRGC fast boats that have harassed the U.S. Navy over the last month. The comments are the latest threats that continue between Tehran and Washington and have increased over the last year. Iran has launched attacks on ships and Saudi Arabia and has sent proxies to target U.S. forces in Iraq. The U.S. has responded with airstrikes. Both countries are wary of a war.
Brig. Gen. Abolfazi Shekarchi is a senior spokesman for the Iranian armed force. After hearing Trump’s comments, he went on a news program in Iran and described America’s threats as a kind of psychological war. “It is an attempt to gain points and public opinion in the upcoming US elections, and for the US President to escape from domestic problems, sometimes people say such things against us but we must say that in any case they are violating international law.”
He warned the Americans against making any mistakes. “They will receive a slap if they make a mistake and it will be a justifiable slap.” The Iranian armed forces are not usually leading the way in tensions with the US. Instead it is the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that tend to harass US ships in the Gulf and mastermind the attacks in Iraq. The IRGC also downed a US drone last year. As such the comments by the Iranian army may also be designed to show that it is relevant. It recently took delivery of numerous new Iranian drones.
“We constantly critique our enemies, the Americans, and ask what are they doing in this region and the Persian Gulf.” He said all countries have a right to 100% security in the Gulf and he wondered what the Americans are doing so far from home, what are they “looking for,” he asked. “Not only do they have no answer to that question, but they are also harassing us and violating international law.” He said free passage of the Persian Gulf was a right for all ships. He reiterated that if the US takes the slightest action against Iran in its waters they will “be slapped harder than before, because we do not joke when it comes to the defense of our country.”
The Iranian army is working hard to fight the coronavirus he asserted. The armed forces have assisted at 58 hospitals, providing more than 10,000 beds and 31,000 staff members, he says. “In addition to preparing and being ready for the enemy, we are engaged in the fight against the virus,” he noted.
Trump's tweet comes one week after the Navy announced that 11 Iranian vessels had conducted "dangerous and harassing" approaches of U.S. ships in the international waters of the northern Persian Gulf, coming as close as 10 yards to a Coast Guard cutter.
"The IRGCN's dangerous and provocative actions increased the risk of miscalculation and collision, were not in accordance," with international regulations, the Navy said at the time. The statement referred the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy.
The incident was the first provocative exchange between the two nations since early March, when U.S. and coalition aircraft struck Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah militia group locations in Iraq in retaliation for the deaths of two U.S. troops in a rocket attack a day earlier. While the coronavirus has dominated the news cycles, there is still strong tensions throughout the Middle East.
Pray- Pray for wisdom and guidance on both sides in order to avoid a massive escalation of hostilities.