Iran to U.S.: Your Aircraft Carrier Is Not Welcome Here

Tuesday brought another round of the tug of war between Iran and the U.S., in which Iran, no doubt feeling the need to respond to pressure and sanctions intended to thwart Tehran’s alleged plan to build a nuclear weapon, hit back by making it clear that an American aircraft carrier needed to stay away from the “Persian Gulf region.” Meanwhile, the U.S. spun Iran’s reaction as a positive sign.  —KA

Update: The Pentagon is carrying on with business as usual for aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf.

CNN:

U.S. officials rejected the “warning” and another recent threat from Tehran that it could close the Strait of Hormuz. The White House and U.S. State Department called the latest threats signs that sanctions against Iran, the result of a standoff over its nuclear activities, are working.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will not repeat its warning,” said Maj. Gen. Ataollah Salehi, commander of Iran’s Army, according to the state-run news agency IRNA.

Salehi “said the country will not adopt any irrational move but it is ready to severely react against any threat,” the report added.

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White House / David Bohrer

Here we see the vessel in question, the USS John C. Stennis, in a photo from 2007.