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‘Rules of war have changed’: Iran warns US of ‘more painful’ response after Gulf tanker strikes
This comes amid renewed hostilities between Washington and Tehran, with the US seeking to ramp up economic pressure on Iran.
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Iran issued a warning to the United States on Sunday, saying Washington should understand that the rules in its war against Tehran have changed “before it is too late”. It further threatened a “more painful” response, a day after the US struck several Iranian tankers in the Gulf, Reuters news agency reported.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, in a speech published on his Telegram channel, said, “From now on, any attack against Iran’s interests and security will receive a faster, heavier and more painful response.”
This comes amid renewed hostilities between Washington and Tehran, after a brief lull in fighting during which the US was seeking to ramp up economic pressure on Iran. The remarks also mark a shift in the Iranian regime's stance, after some of its senior leadership had urged an end to the war claiming that Tehran was already in a victorious position.
Deep Dive
Iran says it hit US boat, targeted oil tankers after CENTCOM strikes
Iran's state-run media earlier on Sunday said a US vessel was trying to enter a restricted area in the Strait of Hormuz, saying the boat was hit, according to the Associated Press. The US Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, did not confirm the claim or make any comment on the same.
Iran also said it had targeted three oil tankers using an unauthorised route through the Strait of Hormuz, as well as a number of US-linked ships, Bloomberg reported
This comes a day after the US CENTCOM said it had struck three Iranian oil tankers following missile attacks by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps “toward two US Navy warships patrolling regional waters.” The US CENTCOM said the targeted Navy warships had “successfully evaded” the multiple Iranian attacks, calling the strikes “unprovoked”. It said that no American personnel were harmed in the attack.
Following the strikes, the US CENTCOM had also warned the IRGC of a “higher economic cost.” “We will not hesitate to defend American forces, and if necessary, destroy Iran’s limited and exposed oil fleet,” US Admiral and CENTCOM Commander Brad Cooper said.
The war had begun with the US-Israel attacks on Iran on February 28. A ceasefire arrangement was signed by Washington and Tehran, but unravelled quickly over sticking points, including the Strait of Hormuz. On-and-off exchanges of fire from both sides, primarily over shipping in the waterway, have continued, with the US also launching Operation Economic Outcast. Under the operation, the Trump administration is looking to sever “critical financial lifelines” of the Iranian economy.
