Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi insisted on Tuesday that Iran’s military and civilian government are acting in “full coordination during wartime,” despite earlier reports that the terrorist Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) acted on its own initiative to scuttle the ceasefire with the United States by attacking civilian ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Gharibabadi said in a state television interview that there was “no difference in approach between the country’s diplomatic efforts and military operations.”
“Diplomacy must adapt to battlefield realities whenever a country is under military threat,” he added.
Gharibabadi danced around the difficult issue of Iran launching wanton war-crime attacks against ships that were sailing through Oman’s territorial waters, insisting that Tehran “has no intention” of violating the sovereignty of its “friendly neighbor” – even though launching murderous attacks on civilian vessels on Oman’s side of the Strait of Hormuz did exactly that.
The Iranian diplomat sought to justify Iran’s terror attacks by saying Oman’s side of the strait “should not be used in a manner that threatens Iran’s national security,” and he claimed Oman was receptive to Iranian suggestions of an “alternative maritime route, developed in consultation with Iranian military commanders, to ensure both navigation safety and regional stability” – in other words, forcing ships to travel along the coast of Iran instead of Oman.
As for dealings with the United States, Gharibabadi said Tehran would not “initiate new negotiations” with the U.S., but also insisted Iran has not abandoned diplomacy.
The Iranian military issued a statement filled with blustery threats on Wednesday vowing to continue what it portrayed as devastating drone and missile strikes against American bases across the Middle East unless the U.S. air campaign against Iran is halted.
“Iran’s Army will undoubtedly affirm the great lesson and strategic message of the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution to the enemy that the era of hit-and-run is over and that any action against Iranian soil, water, and sky will not go unanswered or without appropriate consequences,” the statement said, referring to slain leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose protracted funeral last week was turned into a nationalist rally by the regime.
“Since the onset of the U.S. breach of the ceasefire and its savage attacks on areas of the country, [Iran] has so far carried out six phases of drone operations against the terrorist U.S. military bases in the region, and the operations will continue until final victory is achieved,” the statement said.
The latest claim from Iran was that it struck U.S. F-18 fighter jets based in Jordan, along with “the large equipment warehouse of the terrorist U.S. military,” using “destructive drone attacks.” The IRGC said it also launched ballistic missiles against Jordan on Tuesday, simultaneously claiming that it had “no hostility toward Jordan,” but was targeting American bases that were allegedly used to attack Iran.
The Jordanian military said Iran launched three ballistic missiles into its airspace, and all were intercepted.
The IRGC also claimed it “destroyed” the main logistics hub for U.S. forces in Kuwait, along with “missile defense and air defense radar systems, a Patriot air defense complex, military logistics facilities, and HIMARS missile launch platforms stationed in Kuwait.”
Kuwait did come under heavy Iranian drone attack on Tuesday night, and some explosions and a fire were reported. Kuwaiti state media said the fire was brought under control by six emergency response teams, supported by the army and national guard.
Kuwaiti officials initially said the damage was minimal and there were no injuries, but later the Kuwaiti military said four of its naval personnel were injured when Iran targeted a Kuwait Navy vessel.
According to Kuwaiti officials, air defense forces intercepted one Iranian ballistic missile, five cruise missiles, and 33 drones during Iran’s heaviest attacks against the country to date.
Iran also attacked a water facility in Iraq, and claimed it “destroyed” the U.S. Fifth Fleet Command fuel storage facility in Bahrain. Iraqi officials said no significant damage was caused by the Iranian attack, while Bahrain said Iran’s missiles were intercepted.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Adm. Brad Cooper said on Tuesday the United States will continue “holding Iran accountable for unwarranted aggression that continues to endanger innocent lives.”
“Over the past seven days, Iran has intentionally targeted civilians across the region by attacking seven commercial ships, resulting in nearly a dozen civilian crew members killed, missing, or injured. Iranian forces have also launched dozens of missiles and drones toward neighboring Gulf countries,” Cooper noted.