March 17, 2026 | 02:30 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Iran denies the US accusations that their naval capability has been destroyed and challenges US President Donald Trump to send ships to the Persian Gulf if he dares.
"The Strait of Hormuz is completely under the management of the IRGC Navy and Iran has complete sovereignty," said IRGC spokesperson Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naini as quoted by Anadolu and cited by Antara.
Naini claimed that Iran has so far launched about 700 missiles and 3,600 drones targeting the United States assets in the region and Israel.
"Doesn't Trump say that he destroyed the Iranian Navy? So if he dares, he can send his ships into the Persian Gulf region," Naini added.
He also stressed that the war would end when the "enemy" realizes Iran's military strength and social deterrence.
"We [Iran] seek to punish the aggressor and continue our heavy and destructive attacks on the enemy," he said.
Fighting has escalated since Israel and the US launched a series of joint attacks on Iran on February 28, killing around 1,300 people to date, including the then Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and other Gulf countries hosting US military assets. Iran has also effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz since early March.
Read: Trump Says US Doesn't Need Assistance to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
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