The presence of a US destroyer in the Persian Gulf has been described as an “insignificant” show of force to Iran by the United States.
A US aircraft carrier accompanied by a fleet of warships entered the Persian Gulf for the first time since 2001.
Tehran University Professor of political science, Hamed Mousavi, said in an interview published by RT on Tuesday that the presence of the US fleet in the Persian Gulf was considered a provocative move; however, it lacked any real significance.
“I don’t think we are going to see a military confrontation. But bringing the aircraft carrier, a nuclear armed aircraft carrier near Iranian waters is trying to provoke Iran and also threaten Iran,” the faculty member said, adding that, “The significance is, right now at least, more of a threat rather than actual military confrontation.”
The professor said that the presence of the fleet aimed to exert pressure on Iran.
“I think it is part of a larger strategy of the Trump administration trying to pressure Iran. This administration, since taking to office nearly two years, has been trying to pressure Iran via sanctions and via threats and now bringing the aircraft carrier very near to the Iranian waters is very provocative,” he said.
Mousavi downplayed the move as mere bluffs by the cash-strapped US government.
“There is discussion within Iran over whether the US, under the Trump administration, is ever going to attack Iran. And I don’t think that is going to happen because the US is essentially in no position to make any new major wars because the US right now has a public debt of around $22 trillion. And public opinion in the US is very much against starting a new war,” he argued.
Iran has repeatedly warned US forces that trespassing in Iranian territorial waters would be warded off with a strong response.
The US 5th Fleet is currently deployed in the Persian Gulf with carriers, ships, strike aircraft, sailors and marines and has been involved in occasional confrontations with Iranian forces.
The IRGC in July 2017 reported a second provocation by US warships in the Persian Gulf waters less than a week after a similar incident in the same region.