Iran is preparing for the possibility of a new US bombing campaign that could be larger than the previous one, according to an Iranian official cited by Bloomberg, who said Tehran retains the ability to respond to any renewed attack.
The warning comes after Washington announced the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and additional forces to the Middle East. According to Bloomberg, the reinforcements include 10,000 sailors and Marines.
The carrier’s arrival could increase the number of US carrier strike groups in the region to three, a military concentration not seen there since the opening phase of the Iraq War in 2003. Bloomberg noted, however, that it remains unclear whether the other two carriers will remain in the region once the Roosevelt arrives in the coming weeks.
The deployments follow remarks by US President Donald Trump that more severe strikes against Iran could be considered after the midterm elections scheduled for 3 November.
Iran Threatens Immediate Response to Any Attack
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Friday that it was prepared to deliver an “immediate, painful and regrettable” response to any US or Israeli attack, according to Iran’s state broadcaster, as cited by Bloomberg.
The Iranian official also acknowledged that the country’s economic situation was “extremely painful”, but said Iran was adapting to the pressure.
Economic strains have intensified seven months after the outbreak of the war, with inflation approaching 90 per cent and Iranian oil exports suffering under the US blockade.
Strait of Hormuz Remains Central to the Standoff
A regional military official said Iran continues to exercise a substantial degree of control over the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, an energy sector source said Tehran’s grip over the strategic waterway had begun to weaken despite repeated attacks on ships.
Bloomberg reported that available data indicate Iran is continuing to supply Chinese refineries using previously shipped oil inventories. Those stockpiles, however, could soon be exhausted, potentially depriving Tehran of one of its most important sources of revenue.
Aniseh Bassiri Tabrizi, an associate fellow at Chatham House, told Bloomberg that both sides generally want an agreement but that their positions are moving further apart.
She said increased Gulf oil exports had strengthened Washington’s perception that its position in the Strait of Hormuz was stronger than it had been several weeks earlier.
US Blockade Deepens Pressure on Iranian Oil Revenues
On the Iranian side, the US blockade of ports is worsening the country’s revenue crisis.
According to preliminary estimates disclosed by Bloomberg, Iran did not load any crude oil onto tankers during September, the first time this has happened since the war began.
To reduce the impact of the blockade, Iran has begun shifting more of its trade towards land crossings and the Caspian Sea, which provides the country with a maritime connection to Russia.
However, the limited capacity of these routes means they cannot fully compensate for the losses caused by restrictions on Iranian trade through the Gulf.
On Saturday, Iranian television reported an explosion aboard an oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel had switched off its tracking system while entering the strait.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations had separately confirmed that two tankers were attacked on Friday while passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
US Military Buildup Raises Prospect of New Iran War Escalation
Iran is preparing for what could be an even larger US bombing campaign as Washington expands its military presence in the Middle East, including the deployment of the USS Theodore Roosevelt and 10,000 additional sailors and Marines. The carrier’s arrival could bring the number of US carrier strike groups in the region to three, a concentration not seen there since the opening phase of the 2003 Iraq War. Trump has also said harsher strikes on Iran could be considered after the 3 November midterm elections.
Tehran says it is prepared to respond immediately to any US or Israeli attack, while the seven-month war and US blockade are placing growing pressure on Iran’s economy, with inflation nearing 90 per cent and oil exports heavily affected. Iran still retains substantial influence over the Strait of Hormuz, but pressure on its oil revenues is mounting, with preliminary Bloomberg estimates indicating that no Iranian crude was loaded onto tankers in September for the first time since the war began.
