Iran has issued a stark warning to the United States, declaring that it will never permit American military vessels to re-enter the Persian Gulf, as tensions between Tehran and Washington continue to intensify.

The warning came from Major General Ali Abdollahi, Chief of the General Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, who claimed Iranian forces had effectively neutralised the US Navy’s influence in the region. Rejecting assertions that Iran’s military capabilities had been significantly degraded, Abdollahi insisted that Washington's ambitions in the Gulf would remain unrealised.

“The US president must only dream of their military and army entering the Persian Gulf again. They will take this wish to their graves,” Abdollahi said. He added, “We will under no circumstances and at no time allow US military vessels to enter the Persian Gulf.”

The senior commander also challenged repeated claims by US President Donald Trump that Iran’s nuclear facilities had been destroyed. Abdollahi questioned why Washington continued to express concern over Tehran’s nuclear program if those facilities had allegedly been eliminated. “If you have destroyed everything, then what is the meaning of repeating this delusion?” he said, accusing the United States of attempting to influence public opinion through such statements.

The remarks coincided with claims by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy that two super-tankers carrying more than 4.5 million barrels of crude oil combined struck naval mines near the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz.

According to Iranian state media, the vessels were travelling along what Tehran described as an unauthorised southern route through the waterway when explosions and fires reportedly broke out in their engine rooms.

The IRGC stated that both vessels became disabled following the blasts and that their crews were eventually forced to abandon ship. However, the claims have not been independently verified, and there has been no immediate confirmation from vessel operators or other external authorities.

Iran has maintained restrictions on maritime movements through the Strait of Hormuz and has repeatedly warned that ships attempting to transit the waterway without coordination with Iranian authorities could face serious consequences.

The narrow maritime chokepoint remains one of the world's most important energy corridors, with a significant portion of global oil exports passing through it each day, making any disruption a major concern for international shipping and energy markets.

The latest exchange reflects the broader struggle between Tehran and Washington over regional security, freedom of navigation and energy flows. While Iran has highlighted its ability to influence traffic through the Strait, US officials have argued that global energy shipments continue largely unaffected.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said oil exports from the Persian Gulf had recovered strongly despite Iranian attempts to disrupt maritime traffic. “Despite Iran’s efforts to disrupt energy shipments, oil exports from the Persian Gulf are roaring back and have surpassed pre-conflict levels,” he said, adding that “Iran’s threats have failed to stop the flow of energy to global markets.”

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack suggested that a US strike on Iran remained a possibility, stating, “Could there be a strike this weekend? Absolutely,” while also emphasising that President Trump remained open to a diplomatic settlement.

Barrack revealed that negotiations involving regional actors, including Pakistan and Qatar, were continuing. Discussions reportedly include the future of the Strait of Hormuz, uranium enrichment, sanctions relief, the potential unfreezing of Iranian assets and security guarantees relating to Israel.

However, Trump later appeared to distance himself from Barrack’s comments. When asked about the possibility of imminent military action after arriving in Florida, he remarked, “That was my ambassador? He's a pretty powerful man, I guess. If that's the case, I don't know anything about it.”

Despite that response, Trump subsequently adopted a tougher tone during an election rally in Florida, warning that the United States could launch “another little Epic Fury” against Iran should Tehran fail to reach an agreement, underscoring the volatility surrounding the standoff and raising fresh concerns about the security of one of the world's most critical maritime trade routes.

ANI