Tehran raises warning over reported plan to occupy strategic Iranian island

Ghalibaf did not name the island or the regional state he was referring to. The warning came after reports that Washington had considered options to occupy or blockade Kharg Island to pressure Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. Kharg is strategically important because it hosts Iran’s main crude export terminal. Some regional reporting has linked Ghalibaf’s threat to speculation about possible support from a Gulf state, but that has not been officially confirmed.

The threat unfolded as the United States mixed diplomacy with more military pressure. Iran is reviewing a 15 point US proposal delivered through mediators, according to officials familiar with the process, but Tehran says this does not amount to direct negotiations with Washington. The reported plan includes limits on uranium enrichment, reductions in ballistic missile capabilities, and restrictions on support for regional allies.

At the same time, the White House has sharpened its language. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Iran must accept that it has been defeated militarily and warned that President Donald Trump was prepared to hit the country harder than ever if it refused. Israel has also voiced concern that any eventual deal must not weaken its freedom to act militarily in the future.

Military preparations are also expanding. The Pentagon is planning to send thousands of airborne troops to the Gulf, adding to Marine units already moving into the region. US commanders say the air campaign has severely damaged Iran’s naval and missile capabilities, but the conflict continues across several fronts, with attacks still affecting Israel and US allied states in the Gulf.