Iran has announced a two-day live-fire naval exercise in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, set to begin on Sunday, January 31, further heightening tensions with the United States following Washington’s increased military presence in the Middle East.
The announcement comes after the US deployed the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln alongside other military assets to the region, a move that Tehran views as escalatory amid already strained relations between the two countries.
In response, the US military’s Central Command issued a stern warning to Iran’s armed forces, stating it would not tolerate what it described as “unsafe” manoeuvres. These include low-altitude flights over US warships and Iranian speedboats approaching US vessels on potential collision courses.
The latest developments add to weeks of mounting tension between Tehran and Washington, driven largely by US President Donald Trump’s repeated threats to take military action against Iran. The warnings follow Iran’s recent crackdown on anti-government protests and the US administration’s renewed push to curtail Iran’s nuclear programme.
Against this backdrop, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, struck a cautiously conciliatory tone on Friday, saying Tehran was open to “fair and just” negotiations. However, he firmly rejected Washington’s core demands, stressing that Iran’s defence strategies and missile systems would never be subject to negotiation.
