- Iranians holding Ashura mourning for Imam Hussein
- Third step: Iran officially informs EU of plan to expand nuclear R&D
- Iran expands nuclear R&D program: Rouhani
- Iran goes ahead in space tech, despite US sanctions: ISA
- Resistance Front undermining Israeli regime power: Top commander
- Iran: 7 crew members of detained UK ship freed
- US addiction to sanction threaten its power: Iran’s Zarif
- Dutch role in 2007 Stuxnet attack on Iran’s nuclear site under scrutiny: Iraian FM Spox.
- Iran: ‘Sustainable Security 2019’ kicks off in Caspian Sea
- Iran’s Zarif leaves Tehran for Moscow
- Shiraz University ranked 1st in liver transplantation: Iranian health official
- Japan’s Abe to meet Iran’s president to discuss easing tension in region
- Downing of US spy drone shattered war threats against Iran: Top IRGC commander
- IAEO head reports development of first ion-therapy hospital in west of Asia
- Iranian Taekwondo team wins 2019 World Cup championship
- US sanctions failed to force Iran to buckle: Report
- Crew fixing Iran oil tanker broken down in Red Sea
- As Iranians hold nerves, US seeks to scare off trade
- Leader expresses concern about Kashmir, urges India to follow fair policy toward Muslim-majority region
- Iran saffron exports down due to smuggling, government restrictions: Exporter
- Iran FM warns US against ‘serious miscalculation’ in Persian Gulf
- Iran’s resistance policy led to release of oil tanker: MP
- Iran in reverse brain drain as top students come home in rising numbers
- Iran official calls for compensation for tanker seizure
- Iran hails N Korea for standing against ‘unilateral’ US demands
- Shia Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Ghadir
- North Korea praises Iran’s anti-US struggle
- Zarif says to meet French president Friday
- Iranian court hearing case of UK oil tanker
- Over half of Japanese voters oppose joining US-led anti-Iran coalition in Persian Gulf: Poll
- IME trade ups by 21 percent in July
- Finland backs INSTEX in defiance of US
- US anti-Iran policy in high seas harms Europeans: LA Times
- Iran, China confer on Syria
- Iran, Finland share views on Persian Gulf dialogue forum: Zarif
- Iran warns US against seizure of oil tanker
- Iraq eager to benefit from Iranian Police’s experience
- Iran planning 3rd step to reduce nuclear commitments: Spokesman
- Leader grants clemency to over 1,000 Iranian inmates
- Registration for Arbaeen Pilgrimage to begin in Iran on Friday
- Iran, Iraq agree to reopen Khosravi border crossing
- Iran deplores suicide attack at Kabul wedding hall
- Iran to hold int'l hand-woven carpets expo
- Zarif meets with Iran-Kuwait Friendship Group members
- Adrian Darya oil tanker not under any sanctions, says Iran envoy
- ‘Iran to stay in nuclear deal as long as its interests are met’
- India envoy happy with positive trend of trade with Iran
- Iran’s annual export of white meat tops 2.5m tons: Minister
- Iranian scientist discovers new state of matter
- Iran, Japan diplomats discuss bilateral ties
- Iran, Ansarullah, European representatives Yemen developments
- ‘Iran to become self-sufficient in producing aircraft engines'
- US issues seizure warrant for Iranian supertanker 'Grace 1'
- Neanderthal tooth unearthed near Iran’s Zagros mountain
- Iran’s Zarif due in Kuwait on Saturday
- US faces humiliating defeat after Gibraltar releases Iranian tanker: Envoy
- Spokesman rejects claim on Iran’s commitment in exchange for tanker release
- Zarif reacts to release of Iranian tanker in Gibraltar
- Israel, UAE engaged in secret talks on Iran arranged by US: Report
- US threatens visa ban as Iranian-operated tanker sets to sail from Gibraltar
- Enemies must factor Iran's global power in their calculations: IRGC's chief commander
- Trump’s administration conflicting messages to Iran baffle go-betweens: Report
- Gibraltar releases Iran-operated tanker despite US pressure
TEHRAN, November 06 - Pentagon officials are reportedly losing confidence in the US military’s ability to counter Iranian armed forces in case of a direct confrontation, citing the shrinking presence of US military forces in the Middle East region is the main contributing factor.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - Just as US President Donald Trump is preparing to resume what he calls the “toughest ever” sanctions against Iran to drive the Islamic Republic’s oil exports to zero, US military commanders think that the recent decisions by the Pentagon to move ships, combat aircraft and missile defense systems out of the region only plays into Iran’s hands.
Iran has threatened to close down the Strait of Hormuz and stop all oil exports from the Persian Gulf region in case Trump delivers on his pledge.
While the threat seems to have worked its magic by prompting the White House to issue waivers for Iran’s main oil buyers, US military officials are worried that the current levels American military presence in the region cannot stop Iran from shutting down the crucial waterway.
According to The Washington Post, the officials worry that Iran could easily fulfill the task by using it robust arsenal of ballistic missiles and its ability to plant naval mines.
Under Trump, who thinks China and Russia pose the greatest threats to the US, the Pentagon has moved some of its forces out of the region and stationed them in bases across the Pacific region instead.
The US military has not had an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf region since March. It has also removed a large share of its Patriot missile batteries out of the region along with a number of its stealthy combat aircraft, the F-22 Raptor.
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis calls the new posture a “great power competition.”
That doesn’t mean the Trump administration has forgotten about Iran.
Ever since entering the White House, Trump has taken aggressive actions against Tehran, a pressure campaign that peaked in May, when he pulled out of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and pledged to reinstate all of the sanctions that were removed under the historic accord.
Undeterred by the threats, however, Iran has defended its territories against any possible trespassing by American and other foreign forces in the region.
Iranian naval forces have on many occasion fired warning shots towards American military vessels approaching Iranian waters and asked them to change course.
The chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) made it clear on Friday that Iran will give a crushing response to any threat to its security even if it requires extraterritorial operations.
“Iran will never avoid giving response [to threats] beyond its borders if its security is put in danger,” Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari told Yemen’s al-Masirah TV on Friday.
Source: Presstv
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