Iran’s navy chief said the Islamic Republic is planning to send a “fleet of warships” to the Atlantic Ocean soon, the semi-state Fars news agency reported Thursday.
“Our warships will soon berth at ports in the Atlantic Ocean,” Navy Commander Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari said at a ceremony on Wednesday marking the return to port of Iranian warships that Fars said had taken part in joint drills with the Russian navy, the Times of Israel reported.
Adm. Sayyari made a similar promise to deploy warships in the Atlantic early in 2014, pledging to send its fleet close to American maritime borders in response to the U.S. Navy’s presence in the Gulf.
However, Adm. Sayyari cancelled those plans in April “due to a change in schedule.”
The threat reflects continued strains on the U.S.-Iranian relationship, despite inking an international nuclear deal with Iran this year.
Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei has said Tehran will reject any other negotiations with the U.S. outside the nuclear talks.
• Kellan Howell can be reached at khowell@washingtontimes.com.
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