Crisis in the Arabian Gulf

Iran says it will not surrender even if it is bombed
May 23, 2019

GENEVA/LONDON (Reuters) - Iran will not surrender to U.S. pressure and will not abandon its goals even if it is bombed, President Hassan Rouhani said on Thursday, stepping up the war of words between the Islamic Republic and the United States.

Earlier in the day, Iran’s top military chief said the standoff between Tehran and Washington was a “clash of wills”, warning that any enemy “adventurism” would meet a crushing response, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

Tensions are festering between the two countries after Washington sent more military forces to the Middle East in a show of force against what U.S. officials say are Iranian threats to its troops and interests in the region.

Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan on Thursday confirmed that the Pentagon was considering sending yet further U.S. troops to the Middle East as one of the ways to bolster protection for American forces there.

After pulling out of Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, U.S. President Donald Trump restored U.S. sanctions on Iran last year and tightened them this month, ordering all countries to halt imports of Iranian oil or face sanctions of their own.

“More than one year after the imposition of these severe sanctions, our people have not bowed to pressures despite facing difficulties in their lives,” Rouhani was quoted by the state news agency IRNA as saying.

Addressing a ceremony in commemoration of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, he added: “We need resistance, so our enemies know that if they bomb our land, and if our children are martyred, wounded or taken as prisoners, we will not give up on our goals for the independence of our country and our pride.”

Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Major General Mohammad Baqeri, also pointed to an Iranian battle victory in the war with Iraq and said that outcome could be a message that Iran will have a “hard, crushing and obliterating response” for any enemy “adventurism”.

On Sunday, Trump tweeted: “If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran. Never threaten the United States again!”

Trump wants Iran to come to the table to negotiate a new deal with stricter curbs on its nuclear and missile programs.

Reiterating Iran’s stance, the spokesman for its Supreme National Security Council said on Thursday: “There will not be any negotiations between Iran and America.”

Keyvan Khosravi was also quoted as saying by the state broadcaster that some officials from several countries have visited Iran recently, “mostly representing the United States.”

He did not elaborate, but the foreign minister of Oman, which in the past helped pave the way for negotiations between Iran and the United States, visited Tehran on Monday.

“Without exception, the message of the power and resistance of the Iranian nation was conveyed to them,” he said.

In Berlin, a German diplomatic source told Reuters that Jens Ploetner, a political director in Germany’s Foreign Ministry, was in Tehran on Thursday for meetings with Iranian officials to try to preserve the nuclear accord and cool tensions in the region.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif visited neighboring Pakistan on Thursday to discuss regional issues with its top officials.

“Currently our region is in a very critical situation and dangerous measures are being formed in the region, so we need consultations with all our neighbors,” Zarif was quoted as saying by Fars news agency upon arrival in Islamabad.

Zarif called on the international community to take practical steps to counter U.S. “aggressive” and “bullying approach” against Tehran.

Reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh in Geneva and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in London; Editing by Mark Heinrich and Toby Chopra

Iran tells German envoy its patience is over: Fars
May 23, 2019
Sabine Siebold

BERLIN (Reuters) - Iran told a German envoy seeking to preserve the 2015 nuclear deal that its patience was over and urged the treaty’s remaining signatories to fulfill their commitments after the United States pulled out, the Fars news agency reported on Thursday.

Jens Ploetner, a political director in the German Foreign Ministry, met Iranian Deputy Foreing Minister Abbas Araghchi. A German diplomatic source told Reuters that talks with other Iranian official were also planned.

The semi-official Fars news agency said Araghchi had relayed Iran’s impatience during the talks.

Britain, France and Germany, which signed the 2015 deal along with the United States, China and Russia, are determined to show they can compensate for last year’s U.S. withdrawal from the deal, protect trade and still dissuade Tehran from quitting an accord designed to prevent it developing a nuclear bomb.

But Iran’s decision earlier this month to backtrack from some commitments in response to U.S. measures to cripple its economy threatens to unravel the deal, under which Tehran agreed to curbs on its uranium enrichment program in exchange for the removal of most international sanctions.

“At the center of the political director’s visit is the preservation of the Vienna nuclear accord (JCPOA),” the German diplomatic source told Reuters.


“After Iran’s announcement to partly suspend its commitments under the JCPOA, there is a window of opportunity for diplomacy to persuade Iran to continue to fully comply with the JCPOA.”

Ploetner knows Araghchi from the negotiations to clinch the JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action).

Tensions have soared between Iran and the United States since Washington sent more military forces to the Middle East, including an aircraft carrier, B-52 bombers and Patriot missiles, in a show of force against what U.S. officials say are Iranian threats to its troops and interests in the region.

On Wednesday, U.S. officials said the Defense Department was considering a U.S. military request to send about 5,000 additional troops to the Middle East.

Despite such pressure, Keyvan Khosravi, a spokesman for Iran’s Supreme National Security Council reiterated on Thursday that there would be no negotiations with Washington.

He said officials from several countries had visited Iran recently, “mostly representing the United States”, but that Tehran’s message to them was firm.

“Without exception, the message of the power and resistance of the Iranian nation was conveyed to them,” he said.

Fars earlier quoted a senior commander of the powerful Revolutionary Guards as saying the U.S.-Iranian standoff was a “clash of wills” and any enemy “adventurism” would meet a crushing response.

The German diplomatic source added: “The situation in the Persian Gulf and the region, and the situation around the Vienna nuclear accord is extremely serious. There is a real risk of escalation...In this situation, dialogue is very important.”

Additional reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh in Geneva and Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in LondonWriting by Paul Carrel, Editing by Mark Heinrich, William Maclean

Facing War Prospects, Iranians Stockpile Food
Friday, 24 May, 2019


File photo: Oil tankers pass through the Strait of Hormuz, December 21, 2018. REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

London - Asharq Al-Awsat

Iran's armed forces Chief of Staff Gen Mohammad Bagheri has issued a new stark warning as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to rise, threatening a shocking retaliation to any US “adventurism.”

The escalatory war of words between the US and Iran has worsened with no signs of it winding down anytime soon. Tehran’s clerical regime, however, sought to reassure economically ailing Iranians that despite threats, it’s not looking for war.

Nevertheless, these reassurances have fallen on deaf ears with the people registering unprecedented levels of anxiety.

According to Reuters, the nerves of ordinary Iranians who already face hardship from tightening sanctions are being strained by worry that the situation could slip out of control.

In interviews conducted from outside the country by telephone and online, Iranians described heated discussions at home, on the streets and on social media.

The prospect of war is now the main topic of conversation in workplaces, taxis and buses, Nima Abdollahzade, a legal consultant at an Iranian startup company, told Reuters.

“Apart from the deterioration in the Iranian economy, I believe the most severe effect” of confrontation with the US “is in the mental situation of ordinary Iranians,” he said. “They are sustaining a significant amount of stress.”

This month tensions have risen sharply, with Washington extending its sanctions to ban all countries from importing Iranian oil. A number of US officials led by National Security Adviser John Bolton have made hawkish remarks, citing Iranian threats against US interests. President Donald Trump himself tweeted: “If Iran wants to fight, that will be the official end of Iran.”

Meanwhile, Iranians cope with the day-to-day implications of sanctions and tension. Worries over access to products have prompted some Iranians to stock up on rice, detergent and canned food, residents and shopkeepers said.

An advertisement on state TV discourages stockpiling. A middle-aged man heading home after work is drawn to a supermarket when he sees people panic shopping. He buys anything he can put his hands on, causing shelves to be emptier.

Shahin Milani, a 38-year-old who tweets about Iranian politics to more than 7,000 followers on Twitter, believes military intervention could never bring democracy.

“The people should do it themselves ... If someone is truly worried about the threat of war, they should work to create a democratic, secular government in Iran ... As long as the Islamic Republic is in power, the shadow of war will loom over Iran.”

Pentagon to Submit Plans to Send Troops to Middle East to Counter Iran
Thursday, 23 May, 2019


US soldiers on patrol in northern Syria in November. (Reuters)

Asharq Al-Awsat

The Pentagon on Thursday will present plans to the White House to send up to 10,000 more troops to the Middle East, in a move to beef up defenses against potential Iranian threats, US officials said, according to The Associated Press.

The officials said no final decision has been made yet, and it's not clear if the White House would approve sending all or just some of the requested forces.

Officials said the move is not in response to any new threat from Iran but is aimed at reinforcing security in the region. They said the troops would be defensive forces, and the discussions include additional Patriot missile batteries, more ships and increased efforts to monitor Iran.

The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the plans have not been formally announced.

Thursday morning's meeting comes as tensions with Iran continue to simmer, and it wasn't clear if a decision would be made during the session.

Any move to deploy more forces to the Middle East would signal a shift for President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly emphasized the need to reduce America's troop presence in the region.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told lawmakers the US is seeking to deter, not provoke, Iran, even while accusing Tehran of threatening US interests in the Mideast.

Shanahan told reporters: "Our biggest focus at this point is to prevent Iranian miscalculation."

In early May, the US accelerated the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group to the Mideast and sent four B-52 bomber aircraft to the region. The Pentagon also decided to move a Patriot air-defense missile battery to an undisclosed country in the area.

The Trump administration has evacuated nonessential personnel from Iraq, amid unspecified threats the administration said are linked to Iranian-backed militias in the country.

On Sunday, a rocket was fired into Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, landing less than a mile from the sprawling US Embassy. There were no injuries and no group claimed responsibility, but the rocket was believed to have been fired from east Baghdad — which is home to Iran-backed militias.

Last year, Trump abruptly pulled the US out of the Iran nuclear deal, negotiated during the Obama administration to prevent Iran from nuclear weapons production. He also has reimposed punishing sanctions that have crippled Tehran's economy, and designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization in April.

U.S. deploys more troops to Middle East, blames Iran for tanker attacks
May 24, 2019
Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali, Roberta Rampton

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Friday announced the deployment of 1,500 troops to the Middle East, describing it as an effort to bolster defenses against Iran as it accused the country’s Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for this month’s tanker attacks.

President Donald Trump’s administration also invoked the threat from Iran to declare a national security-related emergency that would clear the sale of billions of dollars’ worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries without required congressional approval.

The actions were the latest by the Trump administration as it highlights what it sees as a threat of potential attack by Iran, and follows decisions to speed the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group as well as send bombers and additional Patriot missiles to the Middle East.

The deployments, decried by Iran as escalatory, have come amid a freeze in direct communication between the United States and Iran that has raised concerns about the increasing risk of an inadvertent conflict.

Trump, however, described the latest deployments as defensive, in nature. The 1,500 troops include personnel manning missile defense systems, aerial surveillance to spot threats and engineers to fortify defenses. It also includes a fighter jet squadron.

“We want to have protection in the Middle East. We’re going to be sending a relatively small number of troops, mostly protective,” Trump said as he left the White House for a trip to Japan.

The decision on troops marks a reversal of sorts for Trump, who only on Thursday said he thought no more forces were needed. Trump has sought to detangle the U.S. military from open-ended conflicts in places like Syria and Afghanistan.

The deployment is relatively small compared with the about 70,000 American troops now stationed across a region that stretches from Egypt to Afghanistan. In addition, some 600 of the 1,500 “new” troops are already in the Middle East manning Patriot missiles, but will see their deployments extended.

Still, the Democratic lawmaker who heads the House Armed Services Committee, Adam Smith, said the deployment “appears to be a blatant and heavy-handed move to further escalate tensions with Iran.”

Eager to avoid escalation with Iran amid already heightened tensions, Pentagon officials stressed the defensive nature of the deployment in a news briefing and noted that none of the troops would be heading to hot spots like Iraq or Syria.

At the same time, the U.S. State Department informed Congress that it will go ahead with 22 arms deals worth some $8 billion, congressional aides said, sweeping aside a long-standing precedent for congressional review of such sales.

Some lawmakers and congressional aides had warned earlier this week that Trump, frustrated with Congress holding up weapons sales like a major deal to sell Raytheon Co precision-guided munitions to Saudi Arabia, was considering using the loophole to go ahead with the sale.

ATTACKS ON TANKERS
Rear Admiral Michael Gilday, the director of the Joint Staff, on Friday described U.S. intelligence portraying a new Iranian “campaign” that used old tactics, and stretched from Iraq to Yemen to the waters in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime chokepoint for the global oil trade.

“We believe with a high degree of confidence that this stems back to the leadership of Iran at the highest levels and that all of the attacks that I mentioned have been attributed to Iran through their proxies or their forces,” he said.

Gilday accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of being directly responsible for attacks on tankers off the United Arab Emirates earlier this month, in what could be a foreshadowing of the conclusion of ongoing investigations into the incident.

“The attack against the shipping in Fujairah, we attribute it to the IRGC,” Gilday said, explaining that the Pentagon attributed limpet mines used in the attack directly to the IRGC.

He declined to describe “the means of delivery” of the mines, however.

A Norwegian-registered oil products tanker and a UAE fuel bunker barge were among four vessels hit near Fujairah emirate, one of the world’s largest bunkering hubs located just outside the Strait of Hormuz.

Gilday also accused Iran-backed “proxy” forces of carrying out a rocket attack in Baghdad’s Green Zone last week.

The Pentagon did not provide evidence to support its claims but said it hoped to further declassify intelligence supporting them. Iran has dismissed the accusations entirely and accuses the United States of brinkmanship with its troop deployments.

Trump played down the potential for military conflict in the region, saying he believed Iran did not want a confrontation with the United States - even as Washington tightens sanctions with a goal of pushing Iran to make concessions beyond the terms of its 2015 nuclear deal.

Trump pulled out of the international deal between Iran and six major world powers last year.

“Right now, I don’t think Iran wants to fight. And I certainly don’t think they want to fight with us,” Trump said.

“But they cannot have nuclear weapons,” he continued. “They can’t have nuclear weapons. And they understand that.”

Reporting by Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali and Roberta Rampton in Washington, additional reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Paul Simao, Susan Thomas and James Dalgleish

Defying Congress, Trump sets $8 billion-plus in weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, UAE
May 24, 2019
Patricia Zengerle


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump, declaring a national emergency because of tensions with Iran, swept aside objections from Congress on Friday to complete the sale of over $8 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

FILE PHOTO - U.S. President Donald Trump leaves the Oval Office to speak to the news media before boarding Marine One to depart for travel to Japan from the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S., May 24, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis

The Trump administration informed congressional committees that it will go ahead with 22 military sales to the Saudis, United Arab Emirates and Jordan, infuriating lawmakers by circumventing a long-standing precedent for congressional review of major weapons sales.

Members of Congress had been blocking sales of offensive military equipment to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for months, angry about the huge civilian toll from their air campaign in Yemen, as well as human rights abuses such as the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey.

Lawmakers and congressional aides warned earlier this week that Trump, frustrated with Congress holding up weapons deals including the sale of bombs to Saudi Arabia, was considering using a loophole in arms control law to go ahead by declaring a national emergency.

“President Trump is only using this loophole because he knows Congress would disapprove ... There is no new ‘emergency’ reason to sell bombs to the Saudis to drop in Yemen, and doing so only perpetuates the humanitarian crisis there,” said Senator Chris Murphy.

Murphy, a Democrat, made public on Twitter on Wednesday that Trump was considering the loophole in the Arms Control Export Act to clear the sales.

Several of Trump’s fellow Republicans, as well as Democrats, said they would object to such a plan, fearing that blowing through the “holds” process would eliminate Congress’ ability to check not just Trump but future presidents from selling weapons where they liked.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that U.S. partners in the Middle East needed the contracts to be completed to help deter Iran, and that the decision to circumvent Congress was meant to be a “one-time event.”

It is not the first time Congress and Trump have clashed over policy in the region, or the division of powers between the White House and Capitol Hill. The House and Senate voted to end U.S. military support for the campaign in Yemen earlier this year, but Trump vetoed the resolution.

BOON TO DEFENSE INDUSTRYIn documents sent to Congress, Pompeo listed a wide range of products and services that would be provided to the countries.

They include Raytheon precision-guided munitions (PGMs), support for Boeing Co F-15 aircraft, and Javelin anti-tank missiles, which are made by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin Corp.

Other companies that will benefit include General Electric, now cleared to sell engines for use in F-16 fighter jets operated by the UAE and the U.S. unit of French firm Thales, which was cleared to sell a fuzing system for Paveway IV precision guided bombs to Britain and the UAE.


It will also likely be welcome news for Britain’s BAE Systems Plc and Europe’s Airbus, clearing the way for installation of Paveway laser-guided bombs on European-built Eurofighter and Tornado fighter jets sold to Saudi Arabia, as well F-15 fighters built by Boeing.

“I am disappointed, but not surprised, that the Trump Administration has failed once again to prioritize our long-term national security interests or stand up for human rights, and instead is granting favors to authoritarian countries like Saudi Arabia,” Senator Bob Menendez said in a statement.

Menendez, ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, vowed to fight the action, and said he was in talks with both Democrats and some of Trump’s fellow Republicans on ways to preserve congressional review of arms sales.

The Foreign Relations Committee chairman, Republican Senator Jim Risch, said he had received formal notification of the administration’s intent to move forward.

In a statement, Risch said, “I am reviewing and analyzing the legal justification for this action and the associated implications.”

In his memorandum justifying the emergency declaration, Pompeo listed years of actions by Iran. “Iranian malign activity poses a fundamental threat to the stability of the Middle East and to American security at home and abroad,” he wrote, and cited “a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings” from Tehran.

Trump’s administration also announced that it was sending 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East, which it described as an effort to bolster defenses against Iran against what it sees as a threat of potential attack.

Members of Congress from both parties have worried that Trump is pushing toward war with Iran. Clarke Cooper, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, said the administration was responding to important needs from partners.

“This is about deterrence and it’s not about war,” he told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Reporting by Patricia Zengerle, additional reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Mary Milliken, James Dalgleish and Grant McCool

U.S. troop move to Middle East dangerous for international peace: Iran's Zarif
May 25, 2019
Updated 12 minutes ago


DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday that the U.S. decision to deploy more troops to the Middle East in response to the perceived threat from Iran was “extremely dangerous” for peace.

The United States said it was sending 1,500 troops to region in what it called an effort to bolster defenses against Tehran, and it accused Iran’s Revolutionary Guards of direct responsibility for attacks on tankers this month.

“The Americans have made such allegations to justify their hostile policies and to raise tensions in the Persian Gulf,” Zarif told state news agency IRNA.

“Increased U.S. presence in our region is extremely dangerous and it threatens international peace and security, and this should be addressed,” he said.

U.S. President Donald Trump also invoked the threat from Iran to declare a national security-related emergency that would clear the sale of billions of dollars’ worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other countries without congressional approval.

It follows decisions to speed up the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group as well as to send bombers and additional Patriot missiles to the Middle East.

Following U.S. media reports that Zarif had met Senator Dianne Feinstein during a U.S. visit last month, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said informative talks were common and did not involve negotiations.

“For more than two decades, discussions have been held with non-governmental U.S. political elites, including members of Congress, to clarify and explain the policies of the Islamic Republic,” ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said.

Separately, a Revolutionary Guards commander said the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route, was linked to Iran being able to export its oil, the semi-official news agency Fars reported.

“Major General Gholamali Rashid said that talking about security and stability in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz is not possible without considering the interests of the Iranian nation, including the export of oil,” Fars said.

Iran has threatened to disrupt oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz if the United States tries to strangle Tehran’s economy by halting its oil exports through increased sanctions.

Separately, an Iranian military official said Iran could sink U.S. warships in the Gulf, while another said it was unlikely for a war to start in the region.

“America...is sending two warships to the region. If they commit the slightest stupidity, we will send these ships to the bottom of the sea along with their crew and planes using two missiles or two new secret weapons,” General Morteza Qorbani, an adviser to Iran’s military command, told the Mizan news agency.

Western experts say Iran often exaggerates its weapons capabilities, although there are concerns about its missile program and particularly its long-range ballistic missiles.

“We believe rational Americans and their experienced commanders will not let their radical elements lead them into a situation from which it would be very difficult to get out, and that is why they will not enter a war,” Brigadier General Hassan Seifi, an assistant to Iran’s army chief, told Mehr news agency.

Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Sam Holmes, Alexander Smith and Angus MacSwan

Iran Can Sink US Warships With 'Secret Weapon' - Military Official

Iran has signalled its readiness to use its “secret” weaponry in order to sink US warships in the Persian Gulf region:

“America […] is sending two warships to the region. If they commit the slightest stupidity, we will send these ships to the bottom of the sea along with their crew and planes using two missiles or two new secret weapons,” General Morteza Qorbani, an adviser to Iran's military command, told the semi-official Iranian news agency Mizan.

Meanwhile, 76 retired US generals, admirals and ambassadors have signed an open letter to US President Donald Trump, urging him against instigating a war with the Islamic Republic.

The letter comes after Trump said that Washington would deploy some 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East. The US President, however, said earlier that Washington hoped that the situation would not come to war.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, for his part, underscored that Tehran does not intend to wage war with the US, but will continue to resist Washington.

Iran Can Sink US Warships With 'Secret Weapon' - Military Official

Iran has signalled its readiness to use its “secret” weaponry in order to sink US warships in the Persian Gulf region:

“America […] is sending two warships to the region. If they commit the slightest stupidity, we will send these ships to the bottom of the sea along with their crew and planes using two missiles or two new secret weapons,” General Morteza Qorbani, an adviser to Iran's military command, told the semi-official Iranian news agency Mizan.

Meanwhile, 76 retired US generals, admirals and ambassadors have signed an open letter to US President Donald Trump, urging him against instigating a war with the Islamic Republic.

The letter comes after Trump said that Washington would deploy some 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East. The US President, however, said earlier that Washington hoped that the situation would not come to war.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, for his part, underscored that Tehran does not intend to wage war with the US, but will continue to resist Washington.

I remember under Ahmadinejad these generals would say similar things about only revealing some of their military capabilities and not showing some 'secret' weapons that would be a 'surprise' for the US/Israel if they dared to attack Iran.

I think it's possible because no one expected Iran to successfully master UDMH/N2O4 fuel (Khorramshahr missile) or have functioning SATCOM with UAVs (S-129 in Syria). Perhaps the surprise could be an anti-ship variant of Dezful with 1000km range or a weaponised Simorgh S-171 drone (full size copy of RQ-170).

Or perhaps it is just bluster to keep Americans guessing for deterrence!

I remember under Ahmadinejad these generals would say similar things about only revealing some of their military capabilities and not showing some 'secret' weapons that would be a 'surprise' for the US/Israel if they dared to attack Iran.

I think it's possible because no one expected Iran to successfully master UDMH/N2O4 fuel (Khorramshahr missile) or have functioning SATCOM with UAVs (S-129 in Syria). Perhaps the surprise could be an anti-ship variant of Dezful with 1000km range or a weaponised Simorgh S-171 drone (full size copy of RQ-170).

Or perhaps it is just bluster to keep Americans guessing for deterrence!

Oh boy! Instead of de-escalating, the Mullah Regime thinks it can take on the lone superpower of the world. This is not good.

Oh boy! Instead of de-escalating, the Mullah Regime thinks it can take on the lone superpower of the world. This is not good.

Eagle1 said:

Oh boy! Instead of de-escalating, the Mullah Regime thinks it can take on the lone superpower of the world. This is not good.

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To be fair they are saying they will only do this in response to a US attack, but yes it doesn't look like they got Trump's memo about threatening the US (probably because they think he is bluffing, which I also think is the case, but some of these IRGC generals are notoriously out of control and say stupid things from time to time).

Iran should invite Trump for a meeting with Khamenei, if Khamenei showered Trump with compliments and promised not to build nuclear weapons I think Trump would suddenly become great allies with Iran lol ('they are a great nation, they promised me lots of nice things, i have a lot of respect for the ayatollah...').

Persian Gulf said:

To be fair they are saying they will only do this in response to a US attack, but yes it doesn't look like they got Trump's memo about threatening the US (probably because they think he is bluffing, which I also think is the case, but some of these IRGC generals are notoriously out of control and say stupid things from time to time).

Iran should invite Trump for a meeting with Khamenei, if Khamenei showered Trump with compliments and promised not to build nuclear weapons I think Trump would suddenly become great allies with Iran lol ('they are a great nation, they promised me lots of nice things, i have a lot of respect for the ayatollah...').

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1) Very valid points

2) I dont think there will be an all out war, but selective air strikes are possible. Just my personal opinion.