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Iran’s armed forces are “awaiting the U.S. naval fleet in the Strait of Hormuz,” a spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Tuesday, according to Iranian state media.
Maj. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini said Iran’s military is prepared for the presence of U.S. naval forces in the strategic waterway.
“The armed forces of the Republic of Iran are awaiting the U.S. naval fleet in the Strait of Hormuz region and are waiting for the aircraft carrier Gerald Ford,” Naeini said.
He also said the end of the war “is in Iran’s hands.”
Naeini claimed that U.S. ships and aircraft had moved away from the area to avoid Iranian weapons.
“He has claimed the presence of commercial and military ships in the region and their easy passage through the Strait of Hormuz; while American ships, vessels, and all fighter jets have fled the region and are stationed at a distance of more than 1,000 kilometers to avoid Iran’s powerful missiles and drones,” he said.
He warned that if U.S.-Israeli strikes continue, Iran would block oil exports from the region.
“If the attacks continue, Iran will not allow the export of a single liter of oil from the region,” Naeini said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that the Strait of Hormuz would remain safe for shipping. He warned Iran that the consequences would be severe if ships were targeted.
Trump said the U.S. is considering taking control of the waterway, which carries roughly 20% of the world’s oil supply. “I have been thinking about taking it over,” Trump said in a phone interview with CBS News.
He warned Iran against interfering with shipping.
“They've shot everything they have to shoot, and they better not try anything cute or it's going to be the end of that country,” Trump said.
Two U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups are currently deployed in the Middle East.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is operating in the Arabian Sea, while the USS Gerald R Ford is in the Red Sea after transiting the Suez Canal, according to U.S. Central Command.
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