Iran's armed forces chief has said United States warships will not be allowed into the Persian Gulf, in the latest warning from Tehran as Washington weighs fresh military action or a negotiated deal. The statement, carried by Iranian state media on Saturday, was reported in Sunday's morning briefings on the confrontation.

What was said

General Ali Abdollahi, chief of general staff of the Iranian armed forces, said the US Navy was incapable of re-entering Iran's territorial waters or their periphery because of Iran's ability to target vessels in the region. He said the US president could only dream of American soldiers and military forces again entering the Persian Gulf, and that Iranian forces were determined to retaliate for the surprise attack that began the war on 28 February.

The remarks came after President Donald Trump told supporters in Florida on Friday that the US military may carry out another major operation against Iran, referring to the extensive bombing campaign at the start of the war. Mr Trump has also said a deal remained possible, leaving both a military threat and a diplomatic opening on the table at the same time.

Why the warning matters

The Gulf is one of the world's most important routes for oil, and the Strait of Hormuz at its mouth has been at the centre of the crisis. Iranian claims about shipping and naval movements are routinely contested, and independent verification of naval positions is rarely available in real time. Readers should therefore treat the chief's claim about US naval access as Tehran's stated position, not as an independently confirmed fact about where American ships are.

What is clear is the direction of travel: both sides are raising the rhetorical stakes while keeping a deal in their public language. The next test will be whether any statement from US Central Command, or any change in embassy staffing or shipping guidance, follows the weekend's warnings.