Iran's IRGC says to use new capabilities if conflict continues

by IANS |

Tehran, April 14 (IANS) Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has vowed to use new military capabilities if the war with the United States and Israel continues, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

"We have not yet used our capabilities, and if the war continues, we will unveil capabilities that the enemy has no idea about," IRGC spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi said.

Meanwhile, Iran's Defence Ministry spokesperson Reza Talaeinik said Monday that the Iranian armed forces' capabilities are increasing, with sufficient missiles, drones, weapons, ammunition and other military equipment to continue offensive and defensive operations in the future, Xinhua news agency reported quoting Iran's official news agency IRNA.

Also on Monday, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei wrote on social media platform X that the US attempt to impose a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz is a "revenge of choice" against the global economy.

Delegations from Iran and the United States held extended negotiations in Islamabad on Saturday and early Sunday to ease tension in the Middle East. The talks, which failed to produce an agreement, took place after a ceasefire was announced on Wednesday between Iran, the United States and Israel, following 40 days of fighting.

Earlier on Monday, the US military announced the start of its blockade of all Iranian ports and coastal areas, saying it will only allow ships traveling between non-Iranian ports to transit the Strait of Hormuz. US President Donald Trump also warned on Truth Social that the US military will "eliminate" any Iranian ship if it comes close to the US blockade on the strait.

"Iran's Navy is laying at the bottom of the sea, completely obliterated -- 158 ships. What we have not hit are their small number of, what they call, 'fast attack ships,' because we did not consider them much of a threat," Trump said.

"Warning: If any of these ships come anywhere close to our BLOCKADE, they will be immediately ELIMINATED, using the same system of kill that we use against the drug dealers on boats at Sea," Trump said.