U.S. Vows to Keep Warships in Gulf, Says Not Seeking Conflict with Iran
A threat by Iran to unleash the "full force" of its navy if a U.S. aircraft carrier is redeployed to the Gulf, and an immediate American dismissal of the warning, sent tensions and oil prices soaring on Tuesday.
The unprecedentedly sharp rhetoric raised the possibility of conflict breaking out between arch-foes Tehran and Washington, pitching a long standoff over Iran's nuclear program into dangerous new territory.
"We don't have the intention of repeating our warning, and we warn only once," Brigadier General Ataollah Salehi, Iran's armed forces chief, said as he told Washington to keep its aircraft carrier out of the Gulf.
The U.S. carrier would face the "full force" of Iran's navy otherwise, a navy spokesman, Commodore Mahmoud Mousavi, told Iran's Arabic television service Al-Alam.
The White House brushed off the warning, with spokesman Jay Carney saying it "reflects the fact that Iran is in a position of weakness" as it struggles under international sanctions.
The U.S. Defense Department said it would not alter its deployment of warships to the Gulf.
"Deployment of U.S. military assets in the Persian Gulf region will continue as it has for decades," it said in a statement.
The developments helped send oil prices soaring more than $3 per barrel, to $102.39 a barrel for West Texas Intermediate crude and $111.02 for Brent North Sea crude.
Iran warning came after it completed 10 days of naval war games by testing three anti-ship missiles. The display of force was meant to show it controlled the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world's oil flows.
Last week, a U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS John C Stennis, passed through the strait and eastward, through the Gulf of Oman and a zone being used by the Iranian navy for its drill.
The nuclear-powered "supercarrier" is one of the U.S. navy's biggest warships. It and its escort destroyers have been deployed in the Gulf for the past few months.
An Iranian military aircraft filmed the U.S. vessel, with its bow number -- CV-74 -- visible, as it brushed past Iran's war games.
"We advise and insist that this warship not return to its former base in the Persian Gulf," Salehi was quoted as saying on the armed forces' official website.
The USS John C. Stennis started its current seven-month deployment at sea in late July 2011, according to U.S. navy websites.
The U.S. Defense Department did not say whether the carrier was meant to travel back into the Gulf before its scheduled return to the United States.
But it said it regularly sent one or more of its 11 aircraft carriers and their accompanying ships on rotation to the Gulf to support military operations in the region.
"Our transits of the Strait of Hormuz continue to be in compliance with international law, which guarantees our vessels the right of transit passage," it said.
The statement also underlined the U.S. pledge to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, saying "we are committed to protecting maritime freedoms that are the basis for global prosperity; this is one of the main reasons our military forces operate in the region."
Pentagon press secretary George Little told reporters, however: "No one in this government seeks confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz. It's important to lower the temperature."
Iran has threatened to close the strait if it comes under attack or if new sanctions hit its oil exports.
At the weekend, U.S. President Barack Obama activated such a sanction, signing into law measures targeting Iran's central bank, which processes most of the Islamic republic's oil sales.
The European Union, which is mulling an embargo on Iranian oil, is expected to announce further sanctions of its own at the end of January.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Tuesday he wanted to see "stricter sanctions" applied on Iran.
The Western sanctions, which add to four sets of U.N. sanctions, punish Iran for maintaining nuclear activities that the United States and its allies believe are being used to develop a weapons capability.
The International Atomic Energy Agency published a report in November strongly suggesting Iran was researching nuclear weapons and delivery systems.
Tehran denies the allegations, saying its nuclear program is exclusively for medical and power generation purposes.
Underlining the progress it is making, Iran's atomic energy organization said on Sunday its scientists had made the country's first nuclear fuel rod from domestically mined uranium.
The Islamic republic has been responding to the pressure by both threatening a military response and offering to resume negotiations over its nuclear program that were suspended nearly a year ago.
Iran was waiting for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton to set a date and venue for a meeting to discuss resuming talks that have been stalled for nearly a year, foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast told reporters Tuesday.
But a spokesman for Ashton shot back that Iran "must first respond" to an October letter from Ashton proposing renewed talks, "and then we'll take it from there."
The negotiations were being held with the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- plus non-permanent member Germany.
The international pressure has already hit Iran's economy, scaring off foreign investors and complicating payments for oil exports.
Officials said recent volatility in Iran's currency, the rial, that worsened after the latest U.S. measures were enacted on the weekend, had nothing to do with sanctions.
The Iranian central bank injected foreign currency into the domestic market on Tuesday, reversing much of a 12-percent fall in the rial on Monday, according to Commerce Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari, quoted by the state IRNA news agency.
over 12 years
We in the USA, hear your warning, and now you should hear ours. Make one move against any of our troops and ships, and you will cease to exist, very quickly. We are NOT the same USA, from the 1970's, 1980's, and 1990's, and will not take your crap anymore. Not a good a idea to "warn" or "threaten" us either, as we just may decide to hit you first, instead of you hitting us, now that you have opened your big mouth. Soon, Bashar will fall, then you're next on the list. Or, we might take out your puppet Nasrallah, and then come after you. We have not decided the order, but not worried, as we are in control, right now, and YOU, are not....keep opening your big mouth, and the bigger you open, the larger your wounds will be...
over 12 years
not likely.
both sides just talk too much and no one means to attack
over 12 years
Yes, they talk too much and they will not attack.
over 12 years
more like bye bye Iran if the air craft carrier is hit!!!!!!!!!!!!
over 12 years
hope for an all out war in the region and this war will not stop till all countries in the middle east and gulf be democratic
over 12 years
Yeah... One side talks too much...
over 12 years
The Iranian regime's posturing is only to create a diversion from the internal problems and to incite a much needed rise in oil pricing. So far the regime did not suffer any no military consequences but the situation might escalate to become a major disaster for the Iranian people.
over 12 years
The Mullas of Iran seem to have a blind military superiority complex, not Nazi Germany, not Communist Russia not Japan were able to compete militarily with the war production capabilithy of the USA. Yet here we hear a mullah threatening the USA's military power. Perhaps their Allah will do the fighting and bring victory to them.
over 12 years
the filthy zionist information war department is getting aroused because they think usa will attack iran.
over 12 years
they are very aroused, yes!
over 12 years
Everyone knows the Iranians never do their own fighting. They let the Hezz and Hamas adopt their ideaology and take the beating. That is why all of them are on the way out. First Syria and Hamas.....then the Hezz and Iran.
over 12 years
@Demon - Wasn't David an Israelite King? You sure you can use that reference and maintain credibility at the same time?
over 12 years
Gabby, peace, thepatriot, allouchi, mabrouchi... DO NOT TAKE WHAT IRAN SAYS AT FACE VALUE. You should demand that Iran allow you in as the representatives from the Committee of Regional Strategists of the Levant to inspect the military institutions and Iran's capabilities. I repeat: INSIST ON INSPECTING ALL OF THESE. Bests.
over 12 years
A secular middle east in 2012
over 12 years
sweaty boy wants to impress us he is educated..... and knows about the spartans. Did you watch the movie on a pirated 1 dollar dvd in dahiyeh?
over 12 years
@Demon - Also: "US is the new persia" ? Really ?! The US is the new Iran? Hahahaha!
over 12 years
Who can really blame Iran when the US, day in and day out, is publicly talking about possibilities of attacking Iran? These are people's lives they're playing with. I'm not a big fan of the Islamic republic, but I'm with them 100% on this.
over 12 years
@sweaty
You should google Operation Praying Mantis before you keep making a fool out of yourself stinky! :-)
Some Historical facts can hurt! ;-)
over 12 years
@Unger
Whatever you're taking...baaaad for your health....
over 12 years
bravo jabalamel: you still are giving a great image of yourself and your party! still depth in your analysis and undeniable facts to support your comments! we only have to agree with such truth you are enlightening us with!
no doubt you have a fan! you are a PROPHET!!!!
over 12 years
the filthy Metwalies are talking about US pullout from Iraq. it is because of US you filthy shia thugs are in power today in Iraq. US made the biggest mistake getting rid of saddam you filthy bastards you have no right to live in peace go back & live in your tents. let Iran make a small move & see what happens.
over 12 years
@sweating_demon: You are delusional. The world is rapidly changing and the Iranian, Syrian, Hizbullah, way of doing business, the lies, repression and assassinations are no longer going to work. The Internet has made this world much smaller. Governments can no longer suppress or kill their people and get away with it. Those days are over. The days of your Iranian Masters, Bashar and Nasrallah, will be over soon. If you choose to keep your stubborn head, buried in the sand, that is up to you, but someday you will have to come up for air, and might be shocked to find a Free and Democratic Iran, Syria, and finally, ya Rab, Lebanon.
over 12 years
@sweating_demon: Think I am crazy? 5 years ago, after the killing of Hariri, I made a prediction to Syrian friends, there would be a democracy in Syria, within 5 years. They laughed at me. They are not laughing now. How did I come to that conclusion? After 40 years of watching events unfold in the Middle East, I knew once Bashar withdrew his troops from Lebanon, after he killed Hariri, that would be viewed as a sign of weakness, by his Syrian opposition. Hafez would never have done that, but once Bashar pulled them, that was it. That, my friend, was the beginning of his soon to be, end.....
over 12 years
you know, iran is lucky the US is civilized, and Obama is non-confrontational. some one else would give these bearded goons an ultimatum and send an aircraft carrier group right in the gulf and if these dummies fire one round or a stupid retarded iranian missile, then one thermal nuclear head right in tehran and wipe that turd country off them map, and if no one likes it then they can bite the US behind. enough dealing with these idiots of the world with kindness and respect, these guys only understand power, and believe me, if teh US wants to play by no rules, the likes of Iran, Syria, Afganistan N Korea, will seize to exist in one minute.
over 12 years
the filthy zionist information war department is hallucinating and speaky speaky empty words that have no meaning or relevance
over 12 years
Sergio and everyone one dont fret about this the arabs are weak and cowards, they cant think for themselves, so othey always rely on their leaders and mullahs to think for them. the US went into Iraq and got rid of their dictator and lost 5000 US soldiers to help these ingrid bastards and finaly left because they realized that it was a lost cause, these people are just bajam and they will always be bajam, they deserve what they get
over 12 years
This is quite funny. One US Aircraft carrier battle group carries enough fire power to destroy all of Iran and this pissant Iranian tin horn is threatening and warning the ship not to sail in international waters? This is like a gnat warning the elephant not to move or else it will toss the elephant on its butt.
And like the gnat, the pissant Iranian tin horn doesn't issue its warning twice. Oohhh we are afraid!!
over 12 years
Bomb Iran
over 12 years
wow here comes sweaty boy during Iran US conflict US smuggled weapons to Iran lmao this is what they call " HAKA BADRI" @hmorsel you are absolutely correct but even though they left Iraq yhey still own that Iraq oil contract. Over 50% of Iraqi oil is owned by US they didn't loose that many soldiers & spent Billions of $ just to get out 10 years later. let the Arabs & Iranian think that they won against US like Hezbollah think they won the war in 2006.
over 12 years
eh ya hassounti enta habib mama enta... leyk habibi you read Greek history is that the children's version Greek 101 :) lol you need to go learn a bit humanity unfortunately they don't teach that in Dahiye University :) FYI mr diaper man I graduated UCLA with double major yeah when you were really sweating wearing you plastic slippers going to school in dahiye.
over 12 years
WOW!!! I think somebody needs a nap (SD)
over 12 years
the filthy zionist information war department started to agree with me because they know who is patriot and who is not
over 12 years
How is it that you let posts pass moderation when they clearly are filled with hate and inciting remarks towards one sect?
I am sure you are breaking some media law in the process...
Has Naharnet really become the mouthpiece for POS to disperse hate and sectariamism?
De3an ta3abak uya Tueni!
over 12 years
Dont be so sure my american friends. Read this report written by a man of your nation. Iran has bought far superior missiles from russia, which cant be shot down by your navys defense system. www.rense.com/general59/theSunburniransawesome.htm
over 12 years
Demon: you didn't use a Jesus reference here...you used a David and Goliath analogy (when you use a Jesus reference we'll talk). It's probably preferable to refrain from using analogies that could be deemed contradictory to your political platform and ideologies.
over 12 years
Is it Naharnet's policy to block comments when there are big words involved?
over 12 years
FYI you need another century to even reach a US junior college forget the major universities that probably you need couple of centuries. Ha Ha Ha
what an idiot. Go ya eben mama go start reading now Greek 102 since you already read 101.
over 12 years
Be careful here. If either side decides to act negatively, we will be at war with Iran. I say again, war with Iran. Let's NOT go there. This would be very bad for Everyone.
Does that mean "bye bye US warship" ?