Iran has threatened on Saturday evening to target American interests in the region in the case of an attack on its merchant navy, following strikes on two of its tankers, while the United States is still awaiting Tehran’s response to their latest proposals.
“Any attack on Iranian tankers and commercial ships will result in a heavy response against one of the American centers in the region as well as against enemy ships,” warned the Revolutionary Guards, Tehran’s ideological army.
“Missiles and drones are locked on the enemy, and we are awaiting the order to fire,” added Guards naval commander General Majid Mousavi, as reported by the Isna news agency and the national television Irib.
These threats come shortly after a US attack on two Iranian tankers in the Gulf of Oman.
The US military, which has imposed a blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, announced that they have “neutralized” the two vessels by air in this access to the Strait of Hormuz, which normally carries a fifth of the world’s consumed oil.
An Iranian military source indicated that Tehran had retaliated. The Islamic Republic also denounced to the United Nations a “flagrant violation” of the truce.
While the ships were reportedly not carrying cargo according to the army, images released by the US military command for the region (Centcom) show thick columns of smoke emanating from the bridge.
Serieux?
Iran has been blocking the Strait of Hormuz since the start of the Israeli-American offensive on February 28, severely disrupting the global economy.
Naval clashes between Washington and Tehran have escalated since the beginning of the month, as negotiations seem to be at a standstill awaiting an Iranian response to American proposals.
Donald Trump expects to receive a response “very soon” after a brief meeting with the US president. The day before, he had already stated his expectation of receiving “a letter” in the evening.
Meanwhile, diplomatic contacts continue in an attempt to find a resolution to the conflict, which has resulted in thousands of deaths, mainly in Iran and Lebanon.
After Vice President J.D. Vance’s visit to Washington on Friday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with the Qatari Prime Minister, whose country, targeted by Tehran’s strikes in recent months, has often acted as an intermediary between Washington and the Middle East.
But Iran has raised doubts about the seriousness of American diplomacy.
“The recent escalation of tensions by American forces and their multiple violations of the ceasefire reinforce suspicions about the motivation and seriousness of the American party in the path of diplomacy,” said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Arrachis.
In Washington, President Donald Trump stated on Friday that he was expecting a response from the Iranians to a proposal aiming to permanently end hostilities. “I should receive a letter tonight, so we’ll see how it goes,” he reassured journalists.
Baril à 100 dollars
The recent clashes between Tehran and Washington have caused oil prices to soar: the price of North Sea Brent crude ended the week once again above $100.
The UK announced on Saturday that it will “preposition in the Middle East” a destroyer currently in the Mediterranean, in anticipation of a future international security mission for transport in the Strait of Hormuz, an initiative co-led by France.
According to satellite images released on Friday, a fifty-square-kilometer oil slick was detected in the Gulf off the Iranian Kharg region, the country’s main oil terminal through which 90% of Iran’s oil usually transits.
However, the Conflict and Environment Observatory, a UK-based NGO, reported that the slick had significantly shrunk on Saturday.
“There is no official information on oil leaks near the Kharg region,” said the head of the Iranian parliamentary energy commission, cited on Saturday by the Isna agency.
One Death in Lebanon
On the other front of the conflict, in Lebanon, Israel and the pro-Iranian Hezbollah continue their mutual daily attacks, despite the ceasefire in effect since April 17, which they both accuse each other of violating.
At least nine people, including a young girl, were killed in Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon on Saturday, according to authorities.
In response to the “ceasefire violation,” Hezbollah announced that they targeted the army in northern Israel with a drone. An Israeli army reservist was seriously injured, according to Israel.
Strikes also took place about 20 km south of Beirut, outside of Hezbollah’s traditional strongholds, according to the official Lebanese news agency ANI.
The Israeli army once again ordered on Saturday the immediate evacuation of several localities in the south in preparation for attacks against the Shiite movement.
The highway connecting the capital to the south of the country was affected, with an AFP correspondent witnessing two damaged vehicles and rescuers working at the scene.
Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into the war on March 2 by resuming attacks on Israel in support of Iran targeted by an Israeli-American offensive.
Israeli strikes in Lebanon have resulted in 2750 deaths since the start of the war, according to the Friday update from the Ministry of Health.
New discussions between the two neighboring countries – technically still at war – are planned in Washington on May 14 and 15. Hezbollah opposes this.
