Iran warns of using missiles to destroy US aircraft carrier

Iran's ballistic missile. Photo: Reuters

“American bases are within the range of our missiles. Our missiles will destroy American aircraft carriers if they make a mistake. The Americans know too well the consequences of a military confrontation with Iran,” Iranian Minister of Social and Cultural Affairs Hossein Nejat warned on July 9.

However, according to Minister Nejat, the war scenario is not on President Donald Trump's "agenda" and the US leader still wants to "entice Iran to negotiate through maximum pressure".

According to Iranian officials, President Trump did not retaliate after Iran shot down a US drone last month because the White House boss knew that "the bases from which the US launched operations were all within range of Iranian missiles."

Earlier, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' air force, Amirali Hajideh, said that the presence of US ships in the region created "more opportunities" for Iran to test its missiles. Meanwhile, the deputy commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Mohammad Saleh Jokar, warned that even Iran's short-range missiles could easily hit US warships in the Gulf.

After the drone was shot down, President Trump on June 20 called off airstrikes on Iranian facilities just 10 minutes before the planned attack. Mr. Trump was concerned that the US attack could have killed 150 people.

US-Iran tensions have escalated in recent weeks after Washington blamed Tehran for attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman. The US also accused Iran of shooting down a US drone operating in international airspace. Iran has denied all accusations.