One of Iran’s most senior military figures warned the United States that Iran has the capacity to sink its ships in the event of an attack. The comments follow the Pentagon’s sending in three guided-missile destroyer ships close to Iran’s coast.
On Saturday, General Morteza Qorbani, senior advisor to Iran’s military command came out with fighting words saying that if the U.S. “commits the slightest stupidity, we will send these ships to the bottom of the sea along with their crew and planes.” He added Iran could achieve this “using two missiles or two new secret weapons.” This assertion was in response to the May 10 arrival of the three U.S. destroyers in the Persian Gulf.
Qorabani’s comments heighten concerns over a U.S.-Iran conflict that could that could be devastating for the region being that both sides are well-equipped.
U.S. foreign policy analyst, Harry J. Kazianis, Senior Director of Korean Studies at the conservative Washington think tank, The Center for the National Interest, warned about Iran’s missile capabilities saying: “On Iran’s military over the years, one can easily come to the conclusion that Iran’s forces, when confronted close to its shores, would not be easily subdued. What is referred to commonly as the ‘tyranny of distance,’ combined with Tehran’s growing A2/AD [missile] capabilities, creates an interesting challenge for U.S. warfighters if the unthinkable ever came to pass,” said the expert.