Trump threatens to destroy Iran’s navy

Shaimaa Yehia

“I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea,” US President Donald Trump told a press conference on April 22.

Trump said he had ordered the US Navy to attack and destroy any Iranian vessel that harasses US ships after some 11 Iranian ships appeared to harass US vessels in the Arab Gulf.

In response to Trump’s threat, Iran’s Defense Minister Amir Hatami said that the Iranian armed forces were ready to repel any threat against the country.

Fox News TV channel broadcast a report on April 24 saying that the Pentagon unveiled advanced technologies that could target and sink any Iranian ships before they even move to attack any US targets.

“I go back to what the president said sends a great message to Iran. That’s perfect. We know how to translate that into our rules of engagement,” Vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. John Hyten said.

On April 22, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched the Nour-1 military satellite from a military base 200 km off Tehran in commemoration of the 41^st anniversary of the IRGC.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for holding Iran accountable for launching the military satellite, describing the satellite launch a challenge to a resolution issued by the UN Security Council.

In 2015, the United Nations issued a resolution calling on Iran to refrain for 8 years from any activities for developing ballistic missiles.

Last September, the US Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on a number of Iranian entities, including the space agency and space centers, as part of the economic sanctions on Iran.

The Treasury Department targeted Iran’s space agency, the Iranian Center for Space Research and the Institute for Space Research.