Iran on Thursday threatened to destroy US warships in the Gulf, defying US warning of consequences for the launch of a military satellite. "I have ordered our naval forces to destroy any American terrorist force in the Persian Gulf that threatens security of Iran's military or non-military ships," the head of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards Hossein Salami said on state TV. Salami made the remarks in response to President Donald Trump's statement instructing the US Navy to fire on any Iranian ships that harass it at sea. After Iran's announcement of a military satellite launch, Trump wrote on Twitter without citing any specific incident: "I have instructed the United States Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea." At a briefing later, he said that he was not changing the military's rules of engagement, adding: "We're covered — we're covered 100 percent". Trump said: "We don't want their gunboats surrounding our boats and traveling around our boats and having a good time. "We're not going to stand for it...they'll shoot them out of the water." On Wednesday, the US secretary of State Mike Pomep warned Tehran of grave consequences of its action, saying: "I think Iran needs to be held accountable for what they've done." "The Iranians have consistently said that these missile programs were disconnected from the military, that these were purely commercial enterprises," Pompeo said during a virtual press conference. "I think today's launch proves what we've been saying all along here in the United States," he said. "I think every nation has an obligation to go to the United Nations and evaluate whether this missile launch was consistent with that Security Council resolution," Pompeo said. — Agencies
