Iran warns regional neighbor over potential occupation of disputed island

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Issues Warning Over Island Threat

Tehran, Iran - Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran’s parliament, has warned that intelligence reports indicate a potential threat to an Iranian island. According to Ghalibaf, if the island is occupied with support from an unnamed country in the region, Iran will respond with targeted attacks on vital infrastructure in that country.

Ghalibaf made the statement on social media, stating that Iranian forces are monitoring enemy movements and will launch continuous and relentless attacks if necessary. The warning comes as US President Donald Trump continues to claim that the US is engaged in negotiations with Iran to end the war, which Tehran has denied.

The White House Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, stated that Iran must accept defeat and warned of further military action against the Iranian leadership. Meanwhile, the Pentagon is deploying thousands of airborne troops to the Gulf region, adding to existing contingents of US Marines already present.

Reports indicate that approximately 2,000 soldiers from the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division have been ordered to deploy to the region, with the first of two Marine Expeditionary Units expected to arrive in the coming days. Al Jazeera reports that people in Iran are aware of the growing military presence and are preparing for potential conflict.

Iran has also stated its intention to open a new front at the mouth of the Red Sea if military action takes place on Iranian islands or elsewhere. The country’s semi-official Tasnim news agency cited an unnamed military source as saying that Iran has the capability to pose a credible threat in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, which lies between Yemen and Djibouti.

The situation remains tense, with both sides engaging in rhetoric and military build-up.

Source: Al Jazeera