The Americans must have understood that the era of commensurate responses has ended," Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who is the head of the negotiating delegation in the negotiations to end the war, said on state media on September 6, AFP reported.
Any act of aggression against Iran's interests and security will receive faster, more violent and more painful responses," he added.
The firefights originated from US raids last week, taking place amid a six-month war between the two sides that fell into a deadlock. Iran maintains a tight grip on the strategic Strait of Hormuz, while Washington continues to blockade Iranian ports and impose sanctions on entities with financial ties to the Islamic Republic to stifle the country's economy.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that Iran had fired at two US warships, including an aircraft carrier and a destroyer, but failed. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) affirmed that these ships were "forced to retreat" after "suffering damage", while CENTCOM said they had successfully dodged.
In response, the US military announced that it had raided three oil tankers linked to the Revolutionary Guard. "After Iran's failed attacks, CENTCOM permanently neutralized IRGC crude oil tankers M/T Downy off Kharg Island and M/T Stark 1 near Jask," the announcement stated.
US forces also completely destroyed the empty crude oil tanker M/T Kylo in the Gulf of Oman, hitting many key positions to make the ship unable to operate after the crew was asked to leave the ship". A video released by CENTCOM shows large fireballs bursting out when bullets hit the ship. According to this agency, the three ships belong to "a multi-billion USD underground network funded for the IRGC and regional command forces".
Iran immediately retaliated. The Revolutionary Guards said that the country's navy "has targeted three oil tankers traveling on the unlicensed route of the Strait of Hormuz and three ships linked to the United States", and warned ships not to pass through this important shipping route on routes not yet approved by Tehran. The IRGC also announced continued attacks on a US navy unmanned vessel trying to enter the strait.
CENTCOM Commander, Admiral Brad Cooper, declared after a series of tit-for-tat attacks: "If you shoot at our two ships, we will impose an even higher economic price - destroy your three ships".
The Iranian Foreign Ministry criticized the attacks on the oil tanker as "illegal and aggressive acts". An Iranian state television reporter in Jask, Hormozgan province in the South said one of the ships was empty, the other was carrying oil, and the crew was brought ashore by lifeboat. Another reporter on Kharg Island said the attack here did not cause casualties.
