TEHRAN: Iranian Army Chief Maj Gen Amir Hatami has warned the United States against any attempt to “annex” the Strait of Hormuz, saying Iranian forces were prepared to respond to hostile actions and protect the country’s interests, state media reported on Sunday.
Hatami’s remarks came as Iranian officials described the recent conflict with the United States as a military and diplomatic victory and adopted a more assertive stance over the strategically important waterway.
Iranian parliament speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also claimed that Tehran had achieved a “true victory” in the conflict, according to ISNA. He described the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding as evidence of Iran’s diplomatic gains.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released footage showing the reported downing of a US MQ-1C drone on May 31 using an air-defence system.
An IRGC official claimed that more than 85 per cent of Iran’s air-defence production capacity remained intact during the conflict, adding that missile and air-defence production had not fallen below pre-war levels despite attacks on military infrastructure.
Iran’s military also announced a reward of $30,000 for anyone who kills or captures a US soldier, with the amount to be doubled if the action is carried out by a woman.
Hatami said the plan followed numerous requests from people seeking to participate. He also reiterated Tehran’s demand for US forces to leave the region, saying American troops no longer had permission to enter the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman or Strait of Hormuz.
There has been no known deployment of US ground forces in Iran during the conflict, apart from a rescue mission in April involving a downed American airman.
Separately, Iran accused Qatar of delaying efforts to determine the fate of three Iranian pilots whom Tehran claims were captured during the conflict. Doha has denied detaining the pilots.
Iranian armed forces official Gen Mohammad Bagherzadeh said an Iranian Air Force team had been waiting for months to travel to Qatar to investigate the matter.
He urged Doha to allow the Iranian team to visit the country, saying delays had prevented the return of the pilots to Iran.
