Iran Vows to Block US Warships From Entering the Gulf

Iran's Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Major General Ali Abdollahi, said Tehran will not allow US warships to enter the Gulf, asserting American forces can no longer approach Iranian territorial waters, as reported by Iran's Tasnim news agency on Saturday. Abdollahi claimed Iranian forces have inflicted successive defeats on the US military in West Asia, arguing the US Navy has lost its ability to approach the Gulf and Iranian waters. He stated President Donald Trump cannot achieve his "dream" of returning US forces to the region, vowing Iran will never permit such entry under any circumstances. The remarks come amid rising regional tensions over the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, a strategic global energy passage, as Iran continues its confrontation with the US and Israel. Abdollahi also questioned why US forces avoid approaching Iranian borders if Washington claims its military capabilities are weakened.