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Military adviser of Iran's Supreme Leader, Mohsen Rezaei, issued a sharp warning against any US naval blockade efforts targeting Iran, stating the military of the Islamic Republic was ready if directly threatened by US naval assets, Iranian state media Press TV reported.
According to Press TV, citing a televised interview, Rezaei said, "Pressure must increase. Our launchers are now locked on the warships, and we will sink them all." Referring to US efforts to impose a naval blockade on Iran, Rezaei claimed the move would fail, asserting that Iran could counter such actions. "Just as the United States suffered a historic defeat in trying to open the Strait of Hormuz, it is also doomed to fail in the naval blockade," he added, as quoted by Press TV. He further stated that Iran's armed forces would not allow any success of a US-led blockade and claimed that Tehran possessed "major untapped leverage" to respond. This comes amid an announcement by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) on Wednesday that a comprehensive blockade of Iran's ports has been successfully implemented, with US forces asserting maritime dominance across key regional waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement, CENTCOM Commander Admiral Brad Cooper said that within 36 hours of the operation's launch, US forces had effectively halted all maritime trade entering and leaving Iran. Rezaei also alleged that Washington, in coordination with Israel, had previously pursued military plans against Iran, including an alleged attempt to deploy paratroopers in Isfahan to seize uranium materials--claims that could not be independently verified, Press TV reported. He further said that Iran believed extending any ceasefire would not serve its interests unless broader conditions were met. "Only when all agreements and our rights are fulfilled, and a resolution is submitted to the UN Security Council, will a ceasefire be meaningful," he said, as quoted by Press TV. The Iranian official also cited what he described as "moral and humanitarian" considerations as a reason for Iran agreeing to a temporary ceasefire. On the possibility of future talks with the United States, Rezaei stressed caution and precision in any negotiations. "We must be sensitive to every single word," he said, as quoted by Press TV. (ANI)
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