Iranian missiles can hit US ships in Gulf: Guards

A deputy head of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards said short-range Iranian missiles could reach US warships in the Gulf, and the United States could not afford a new war, the semi-official news agency Fars reported on Friday.

The comments added to days of sabre-rattling between Tehran and Washington, which has tightened sanctions and built up its military presence in the region alleging threats from Iran to its troops and interests.

Iran has accused the United States of “psychological warfare” and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said this week Tehran would not negotiate another deal after Washington quit a 2015 pact over Iran’s nuclear program.

“Even our short-range missiles can easily reach (US) warships in the Persian Gulf,” Mohammad Saleh Jokar, the Guard’s deputy for parliamentary affairs, was quoted by Fars as saying.

“America cannot afford the costs of a new war, and the country is in a bad situation in terms of manpower and social conditions,” he added.

Separately, a senior Iranian military official accused US President Donald Trump of dishonesty, the semi-official news agency Mehr reported on Friday.

Trump has said publicly he wants to pursue a diplomatic route after withdrawing from the 2015 deal and moving to cut off all Iranian oil exports this month.

“The actions of American leaders in exerting pressure and launching sanctions ... while speaking of talks, is like holding a gun at someone and asking for friendship and negotiations,” said Rasoul Sanai-Rad, a political deputy of the armed forces command, Mehr reported.

“The behavior of American leaders is a political game which consists of threats and pressure while showing a willingness to negotiate in order to present a peaceful image of themselves and fool public opinion,” Sanai-Rad added.

Guards deputy Jokar was also quoted by Fars as making remarks apparently directed against any calls for talks by allies of pragmatic President Hassan Rouhani.

“The Western-leaning tendency in the country raises a war versus talks dilemma ... and is trying to impose new nuclear deals on the country,” he said.

Growing US pressure on Iran has weakened Rouhani and made his hardline rivals more assertive.