Iran Claims US Situation 'Chaotic', Targets Bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain
The Iranian military has stated that the situation for the United States is in a ‘chaotic and unfavourable’ condition amid rising tensions concerning the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran also mentioned that US military bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain are the main targets for Iranian retaliatory action.
Iranian military spokesperson General Abolfazl Shekarchi said the US had failed to achieve its objectives in the Strait of Hormuz or in its efforts to weaken Iran. ‘The situation is chaotic and unfavourable for America,’ Shekarchi stated. He added that the US is now seeking a ‘new strategy’, suggesting that Washington’s potential withdrawal from the war ‘depends on the permission of the Zionists’, referring to Israel.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Akraminia stated that Iran took action to assert its rights over the Strait of Hormuz after the ‘US violated its commitments and tried to create a fake and illegal route in the Strait of Hormuz’, contrary to a memorandum of understanding signed in June. ‘In the operation, the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran made the US bases in Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain, which are considered the country’s most important bases in the region, the centre of our operations,’ Akraminia said.
The memorandum of understanding collapsed amidst a dispute between the US and Iran over the management of shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz. The US previously launched attacks on Iran for 13 consecutive nights, which Iran subsequently retaliated against by striking US bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Jordan. According to US media reports, President Donald Trump temporarily halted the attacks on Friday due to concerns over depleting interceptor missile supplies and to open space for diplomatic efforts.
Iran has rejected a US ceasefire proposal brought by the Iraqi Prime Minister. Tehran has threatened to attack Tel Aviv if Donald Trump continues the air strikes. The Iran conflict has triggered a surge in oil prices above US$100 per barrel, with analysts warning of the potential for higher increases due to dwindling global energy reserves. Iran is reportedly rebuilding missile bases and military infrastructure destroyed by US and Israeli attacks at a surprising speed.
A military official stated that international shipping should not be used as a tool in geopolitical conflicts. He added that America has never stated its goal was regime change in Iran, but rather the denuclearisation of Iran. He noted that Iran and the United States are not currently engaged in negotiations, but did not rule out the possibility of an exchange of messages between the two parties. He also warned that Tehran would under no circumstances allow the US, as a foreign and extra-regional country, to interfere in the Strait of Hormuz.