Iran has installed new missile systems on three strategic Gulf islands near the Strait of Hormuz, saying they can strike enemy targets, as tensions with the United States remain high.
The weapons were deployed on Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa near the Strait of Hormuz, a globally vital shipping lane.
Iranâs Revolutionary Guards recently held military manoeuvres in the area.
Saturdayâs announcement comes as Iran prepares to respond to a letter from US President Donald Trump urging a resumption of nuclear talks and warning of possible military action if Iran refuses.
âWe have a tactic that we must armâ the island group âand make it operativeâ, said Alireza Tangsiri, naval commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the ideological branch of Iranâs military.
âWe are capable of attacking enemy bases, vessels, and assets in the region,â he told state television.
The new systems âcan completely destroy any target within 600 kilometres (370 miles)â.
On Friday, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said US threats against Iran âwill get them nowhereâ, warning that âif they do anything malign to the Iranian nation, they will get a hard slapâ.
On Thursday, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi described Trumpâs letter as âmore of a threatâ but said it appeared to offer opportunities, noting that Tehran would respond âin the coming daysâ.
In remarks broadcast on Friday, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said Trump was trying to head off armed conflict with Iran by building trust with Tehran.
He said the presidentâs letter was not intended as a threat.
Iran has controlled the three Gulf islands since 1971, despite their sovereignty being disputed with the United Arab Emirates for decades.
In September, Tangsiri said Iran was âexpandingâ its defence capabilities on the islands.
