A top US Navy officials warned on Friday that Tehran could carry out “provocative actions” in the Strait of Hormuz and elsewhere in the region, Reuters reported.
Speaking on Iran, US Navy Secretary Thomas Modly told Reuters that Tehran will use any opportunity to attack, but did not elaborate further.
“I think they’re going to continue to perform provocative actions over there…and I think they’ll look at every opportunity they can to do that.” He was quoted by the news agency.
Tensions raised in the Gulf after several assaults carried out against oil tankers this summer, including a major attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities.
US and Britain blamed Tehran for the attacks after investigating the cases.
“There’s nothing that suggests to me, short of a regime change there, that you have a different tone set from the leadership, that would suggest to me that they’re going to stop doing what they’ve been doing,” Modly explained.
The warning from the top US Navy official comes at a time of some joint naval drills by Iran, China and Russia in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Oman.
