- Iran accuses US forces of illegal vessel seizure, ‘piracy’.
Iran has warned it could deploy a new weapon in its ongoing conflict with the United States and Israel, claiming the system is something enemy forces “are deeply afraid of” and could even give them a “heart attack”.
The remarks came after US President Donald Trump rejected Tehran’s proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for lifting a US naval blockade, a plan that would also have delayed talks on Iran’s nuclear programme. Washington has instead opted to continue its blockade near the crucial waterway.
Iran Signals Escalation, Warns of New Weapon
Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said the country would “very soon” confront opposing forces with a weapon they fear, according to state-run Press TV.
“And it is right next to them [too]… I hope they won’t have a heart attack,” he said, without offering further details.
Irani also dismissed the US strategy of using economic pressure to force Tehran into negotiations, particularly through restricting Iranian oil trade via the Strait of Hormuz. He said such assumptions had now become “a joke in military academies”.
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Claims of Attacks, Tensions Over Hormuz Intensify
The commander further claimed that Iranian forces had carried out at least seven missile operations targeting the US aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, alleging the strikes temporarily disrupted American air operations from the vessel.
Iran has said it has launched over 100 waves of retaliatory strikes against US and Israeli targets across the Middle East since the conflict began.
A key element of Tehran’s response has been its actions in the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic route that handles about 20% of global crude shipments during peacetime. Iran has restricted passage for vessels linked to its adversaries, requiring prior approval from its authorities.
Irani said Iran had effectively closed access to the strait from the Arabian Sea and warned of immediate operational action if opposing forces moved closer.
Despite the blockade, he noted that some vessels had continued to depart from Iranian ports and reach their destinations.
He also accused US forces of the “illegal seizure” of Iranian vessels, describing the actions as “piracy” and “hostage-taking”. “They have taken crewmembers and their families hostage aboard ships,” he claimed, adding that such actions were worse than those of Somali pirates.
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