Iran on Saturday accused the United States of "escalating tensions" in the region following American threats to strike Iran with "extreme force."
اضافة اعلان
The commander of the Central Operations Room of the Iranian Armed Forces, Ali Abdollahi, stated in a announcement broadcast by state television that "the United States is moving rapidly toward escalating tensions in the region."
U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday threatened to hit Iran "extremely hard," while American media outlets reported that he is considering launching intensive strikes this weekend, targeting energy infrastructure in particular.
Citing multiple unnamed sources, CBS indicated that the President has not yet given the green light for the bombing campaign, though Israel and the United States have coordinated on the plans.
Iran has practically closed the Strait of Hormuz since the onset of the U.S.-Israeli war against it on February 28. After briefly reopening it following the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the United States to end the war, Tehran resumed restricting maritime traffic after hostilities restarted between the parties on July 7.
Iran insists that vessels transit through a route adjacent to its coast and threatens to target those attempting to use an alternative route running along the coast of the Sultanate of Oman.
Meanwhile, the Tasnim news agency quoted an Iranian official as saying that Iran views reports of potential U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iranian infrastructure as "a form of recklessness," adding that Tehran has prepared a comprehensive plan to respond to any "possible U.S. recklessness."
AFP
