TEHRAN(National Times)- Iran\u2019s top negotiator on Sunday threatened a more forceful response to any further US attacks after Tehran targeted American warships in their latest round of clashes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The exchanges of fire, which began with US raids last week, come amid a deadlock in the six-month war between the two foes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iran has maintained its stranglehold on the strategic Strait of Hormuz while Washington continues a counter-blockade of Iranian ports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Washington is also seeking to choke Iran\u2019s economy, rolling out sanctions on entities with financial links to the country in a bid to force it into submission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Americans must have understood that the era of proportionate responses has come to an end,\u201d said Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who has acted as chief negotiator in talks to end the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAny aggression against Iran\u2019s interests and security will receive a faster, more intense and more painful response,\u201d he added, in a speech carried by state media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Saturday, US Central Command (Centcom), which oversees American military operations in the region, said Iran had unsuccessfully fired at two American warships \u2014 an aircraft carrier and a destroyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the ideological arm of Iran\u2019s military, said the warships had been \u201cforced to retreat\u201d after \u201csuffering damage\u201d, but Centcom said they successfully evaded the attacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response, the US military said it struck three oil tankers linked to the Iranian Guards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Centcom said it had \u201cpermanently disabled\u201d one ship off the coast of the oil hub of Kharg Island and another near Jask, and \u201ccompletely destroyed\u201d a third vessel in the Gulf of Oman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Video posted by the military showed large fireballs and billowing flames after projectiles slammed into the ships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The three vessels were \u201cpart of a multibillion-dollar shadow network that funds the IRGC and its regional proxies\u201d, Centcom said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iran quickly retaliated, with the Guards saying their naval forces \u201ctargeted three oil tankers on the unauthorised route of the Strait of Hormuz and three vessels affiliated with the child-killing America in other areas\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It warned ships not to attempt to transit the key trade waterway via routes unapproved by Tehran.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Early on Sunday, Iran\u2019s IRGC also said it attacked a US naval drone trying to enter the strait, according to a statement carried by state television.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Centcom spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins, however, called the claim \u201ca complete lie\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo US vessels have been attacked today,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018Clinging on to power\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Centcom commander Admiral Brad Cooper had said after the exchange of strikes: \u201cIf you shoot at two of our ships, we will impose an even higher economic cost \u2014 taking out three of yours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Iranian foreign ministry condemned the attacks on its oil tankers as \u201cillegal and aggressive actions\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The administration of US President Donald Trump has tried to downplay the significance of the six-month conflict, which has proven increasingly unpopular at home as midterm elections near.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
US Vice President JD Vance has gone so far as to say that he \u201cwouldn\u2019t call it a war\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump reiterated that view on Friday, calling the war \u201csmall potatoes\u201d for Washington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Iranian officials have so far maintained their defiant tone, but US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told ABC\u2019s \u201cThis Week\u201d programme on Sunday that Iran was \u201cdoing everything they can to cling on to something\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey know their nuclear programme\u2019s coming to an end. Their navy has come to an end. Their air force has come to an end. They\u2019re clinging on to power,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A fragile ceasefire between the two sides collapsed in July after attacks on commercial ships in the Hormuz strait, through which one-fifth of world oil supplies previously flowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Trump has in recent weeks repeatedly threatened to claim sovereignty over the strait, even posting a map showing it as \u201cnew US territory\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Vance has insisted the US will not reopen talks with Iran until it ends attacks on commercial shipping in the strait.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TEHRAN(National Times)- Iran\u2019s top negotiator on Sunday threatened a more forceful response to any further US attacks after Tehran targeted American warships in their latest round of clashes. The exchanges of fire, which began with US raids last week, come amid a deadlock in the six-month war between the two foes. Iran has maintained its stranglehold on the strategic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":132626,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-132625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n