Iran warning to US warship sends tensions soaring

Iran’s military on Tuesday warned one of the US navy’s biggest aircraft carriers to keep away from the Gulf, in an escalating showdown over Tehran’s nuclear drive that could pitch into armed confrontation.

“We advise and insist that this warship not return to its former base in the Persian Gulf,” said Brigadier General Ataollah Salehi, Iran’s armed forces chief.

“We don’t have the intention of repeating our warning, and we warn only once,” he was quoted as saying by the armed forces’ official website.

The ominous message came just after Iran completed 10 days of naval manoeuvres at the entrance to the Gulf to show it could close the strategic oil shipping channel in the Strait of Hormuz if it felt threatened.

In the climax of the war games on Monday, Iran test-fired three missiles including a new cruise missile designed to sink warships. AFP