US military to keep Persian Gulf waterway open despite Iran threats

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The U.S. military is reiterating a promise to keep Persian Gulf waterways open to oil tankers as Iran renewed threats to close off the region.

Capt. Bill Urban, a spokesman for the U.S. military’s Central Command, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that American sailors and its regional allies “stand ready to ensure the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce wherever international law allows.”

RELATED

Trump warns: Iran will pay if it restarts nuclear program

Weighing U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear accord, President Donald Trump declared on Tuesday that if the Iranians “restart their nuclear program, they will have bigger problems than they’ve ever had before.”

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Tuesday suggested Iran could halt regional exports if it is stopped from exporting oil after America pulled out of the nuclear deal with world powers.

Meanwhile, Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani reportedly sent a letter to Rouhani applauding his stance.

RELATED

No harassment of US ships by Iran despite nuclear deal demise, says Navy’s top officer

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson said the Navy remains on guard and wary of Iran in the Persian Gulf despite no recent signs of unsafe encounters.

By Mark D. Faram

Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard’s expeditionary Quds Force, said his forces were “ready for any policy.”

In Other News

Navy fires Amphibious Squadron 5 commodore

The Navy provided no explanation for relieving Harney of command in a brief statement Friday night.

‘The need is significant’ in Marine Reserves’ 2023 Toys for Tots drive

Staff Sgt. James Caldwell's personal connection to Toys for Tots began years ago, when he also was one of those children who received toys.

Problems persist with how services report extremism, DOD watchdog says

Findings show ongoing issues with how the services track and report data on extremism in the ranks.

Why some troops consider their military service a dating app red flag

Dating is tough, but apparently military service makes it harder.

Extremism stand-down checked a box with no lasting result, critics say

While some saw no reason for the training and believed it ignited division among the ranks, others thought it didn’t go far enough.

Load More