Iran holds surprise naval drill, US ups Marine presence in Persian Gulf

THE U-S IS ALREADY DEALING WITH ESCALATING TENSIONS FROM CHINA — RUSSIA AND NORTH KOREA.

NOW — WE MAY NEED TO ADD IRAN TO THAT LIST.

IRAN’S PARAMILITARY REVOLUTIONARY GUARD HELD A SURPRISE MILITARY DRILL ON DISPUTED ISLANDS IN THE PERSIAN GULF WEDNESDAY.

AS PART OF THE DRILL — THE GUARD’S NAVY UNVEILED NEW VESSELS EQUIPPED WITH MISSILES THAT CAN TRAVEL NEARLY 400 MILES.

SWARMS OF SMALLER BOATS ALSO TOOK PART — AS WELL AS PARATROOPERS — DRONES — AND TRUCK-LAUNCHED SURFACE-TO-SEA MISSILE SYSTEMS.

THE DRILL COMES AS THOUSANDS OF U-S MARINES AND SAILORS ON AN AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT SHIP AND A LANDING SHIP ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE GULF.

THE U-S HAS ALREADY SENT A-10 THUNDERBOLT II WARPLANES — F-16 AND F-35 FIGHTERS — AND A DESTROYER TO THE REGION.

THE PENTAGON SAID THE DEPLOYMENT WAS QUOTE “IN RESPONSE TO RECENT ATTEMPTS BY IRAN TO THREATEN THE FREE FLOW OF COMMERCE IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ AND ITS SURROUNDING WATERS.”

SPEAKING AT THE DRILL TODAY — THE HEAD OF THE REVOLUTIONARY GUARD SAID QUOTE “OUR NATION IS VIGILANT, AND IT GIVES HARSH RESPONSES TO ALL THREATS, COMPLICATED SEDITIONS AND SECRET SCENARIOS AND HOSTILITIES.”

HE LATER TOLD STATE TV QUOTE “THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO NEED FOR THE PRESENCE OF AMERICA OR ITS EUROPEAN OR NON-EUROPEAN ALLIES IN THE REGION.”

JAMSHEED CHOKSY — A PROFESSOR OF CENTRAL EURASIAN STUDIES AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY — DISAGREES.

“For many years the United States has acted as the shield for Arab nations of the Gulf in particular to ensure the free flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz. So the United States does need to remain in the region actively and actively push back when Iran attempts to stop oil tankers and other energy supplies moving through the Persian Gulf.”

SIMILAR TO THE OTHER COUNTRIES MENTIONED EARLIER — IRAN IS ALSO A NUCLEAR THREAT.

EARLIER THIS YEAR — THE U-N’S TOP NUCLEAR OFFICIAL WARNED THE COUNTRY HAS ENOUGH HIGHLY-ENRICHED URANIUM TO BUILD SEVERAL NUCLEAR WEAPONS.