TEHRAN – Iran will “bravely” announce it  if it does something, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri announced on Monday in response to accusations by the United States that Iran is behind the attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman.

On Thursday, two tankers -- one carrying oil and the other transporting chemicals -- were attacked near the strategically important Strait of Hormuz. Roughly 30% of the world's sea-borne crude oil passes through the strategic choke point. 

Talking with Fox News on Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo claimed it is "unmistakable" that Iran carried out the attacks with a "clear intent to deny transit through the Strait". Pompeo made such a claim on Thursday.

Iran has vehemently rejected the claim, calling it “ridiculous” and “dangerous”.

Armed Forces chief says Iran is facing “unprincipled”, “untruthful” and “deceitful” enemies like the United States.“If the Islamic Republic of Iran has any will to block the export of oil from the Persian Gulf it will fully realize that will and declare that openly,” Major General Bagheri told a ceremony at Imam Hussein University in Tehran.

The top military commander went on to say if there would be a need Iran will enter war with the enemies including the United States “openly”.

“In case of need we will openly confront the enemies including America in the region.”

In that case the armed forces will fight “in a very large area”, he added.

Bagheri said today Iran is facing “unprincipled”, “untruthful” and “deceitful” enemies like the United States which on the one hand is pressuring on Iran and on the other is speaking about negotiations.

The top general said powerful Iran will see no need to act “secretly or deceitfully”, adding a country behaves like this which is militarily powerless.
 
“Today, with the grace of God the Islamic Iran is at height of its power.”

“Iran facing a new Saddam Hussein”

Bagheri likened U.S. President Donald Trump to the ruthless Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein whose regime attacked Iranian cities with missiles and chemical weapons in the 1980s and at the same talked about “peace”.

“Today, the Islamic Republic of Iran is facing a new Saddam with the name of Saddam that through complicated economic war and psychological warfare” is putting an unprecedented pressure on Iran, the general remarked.

 “Iran choosing resistance in face of war or negotiations” 

These pressures, he said, are intended to put Iran to choose between “war” or “negotiations” but Iran “has chosen the alternative of resistance and revolutionary defense”.