Alert: Top Iranian General Says Its Navy Has Taken Control of Persian Gulf
It never ceases to amaze me that any country in the Middle East — in this case Iran — continues to poke the United States in the eye expecting the Trump administration to roll over and expose itself as vulnerable.
Gen. Alireza Tangsiri of the Iranian National Guards navy is the latest to make the bold gesture just daring America to react by claiming the Iranian navy has taken control of the Strait of Hormuz, the area’s major shipping route in the Persian Gulf.
Roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil passes through The Strait of Hormuz, according to Fox News, which has long been a target of the Iranians.
Iran has, in the past, threatened to block the route as American-Iranian relations break down.
Iran has suggested it could use its military to block other countries from shipping their oil exports while U.S. sanctions are designed to halt Iran’s oil sales. U.S. ships patrol the Persian Gulf specifically to protect oil shipments and allow them to leave the area safely.
In July the two nations squared off in a verbal throw-down over “an offensive of speeches and online communications meant to foment unrest and help pressure Iran to end its nuclear program and its support of militant groups,” as reported by Reuters.
Iranian President Rouhani retaliated by saying the U.S. risks the “mother of all wars” with Iran.
As a result of the continuing verbal discourse, Iran initiated a naval exercise deploying more than 100 vessels to the Strait of Hormuz in a show of strength, sending a message to the U.S.
Fox News contributor Walid Phares points out that while the Iranians have the necessary capability to initiate all the exercises they want, the question remains: How far will they actually carry out the threats?
“They are going to do the actual exercise. The question is how far will they go?” Phares said. “Will they actually block the Strait or not. Now, the Iranians can if they want, damage the international passage, but we all know the United States can intercept them, stop them and damage their own capacity. So its kind a breakmanship capacity of gaming with us. And I think the United States is very much attentive to what they are doing and will respond if Iran will cross that red line.”
However, Iran may believe it has support from surrounding nations to force the hand of the Americans.
“Let’s look at it from the Iranian perspective,” Phrares said. “Their economy is getting strike after strike. In their view, with the demonstrations taking place inside their country, they are collapsing slow-motion. So this could be an injection so the international community would say ‘Oh no! We don’t want any problems.’ Especially who, the gulf nations are just across and they are very concerned about any Iranian actions, not the United States. So this is a very daring game by the Iranians thinking they could force negotiations. I’m not thinking this administration will buy that.”
Whenever the Iranians taunt with threats of aggression, President Donald Trump responds. And he responds with authority, unlike any responses I can remember from the previous administration.
To Iranian President Rouhani: NEVER, EVER THREATEN THE UNITED STATES AGAIN OR YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES THE LIKES OF WHICH FEW THROUGHOUT HISTORY HAVE EVER SUFFERED BEFORE. WE ARE NO LONGER A COUNTRY THAT WILL STAND FOR YOUR DEMENTED WORDS OF VIOLENCE & DEATH. BE CAUTIOUS!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2018
I think it’s a big mistake for Iran to think it can put the squeeze on the world economy by jeopardizing the world’s oil supply. Its own economy would surely collapse long before.
And Iran’s navy is certainly no match for our own. Iran is no longer dealing with an administration that apologizes for being a world superpower.
It would be unfortunate for them if the Untied States had to actually demonstrate the authority that is being challenged by Iran. But it may come to that.
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