IRGC Issues Warnings to US Warships in Strait of Hormuz

An Iranian vessel approaches a US warship in the Strait of Hormuz. (Tasnim)
An Iranian vessel approaches a US warship in the Strait of Hormuz. (Tasnim)
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IRGC Issues Warnings to US Warships in Strait of Hormuz

An Iranian vessel approaches a US warship in the Strait of Hormuz. (Tasnim)
An Iranian vessel approaches a US warship in the Strait of Hormuz. (Tasnim)

Commander of the IRGC Navy Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said that his forces issued a warning to an American warship in the Strait of Hormuz, said IRGC-affiliated Tasnim news agency.

IRGC released footage of the USS Bataan and USS Carter Hall that traveled through the Strait of Hormuz, last Saturday.

The American forces didn’t comment on the matter.

Tasnim quoted Tangsiri as saying that during monitoring the American warship, a US helicopter took off from the vessel's flying deck but was forced to land shortly after warnings from the watch tower in the Strait of Hormuz, and the presence of the ‘Revolutionary Guard’ naval boats.

He added it was the first entry by the Americans into the waters off the southern coasts of Iran since 2021, stressing that Iran and the neighboring countries in the Gulf can ensure security in the regional waters and there is no need for foreigners' presence.

Tangsiri said the IRGC Navy’s success in monitoring the maritime movements in the Persian Gulf and its vigilance in the face of threats, particularly from the warships of extra-regional countries, proved that the Iranian forces would never allow enemies to undermine the security of the Gulf and the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

Last week, Western naval forces operating in the Gulf warned ships sailing in the strategic Strait of Hormuz against approaching Iranian waters to avoid the risk of seizure.

The warnings issued on Saturday and Sunday follow a week that saw the United States boost its military presence in the region and an agreement between Washington and Tehran that has raised hopes of reducing tensions between the adversaries.

In April and May, Iran seized two tankers within a week in regional waters.

A few days earlier, Washington announced the arrival of more than 3,000 US Marines and sailors to the Middle East on board warships as part of a plan to boost the military presence in the region, which it confirmed aims to deter Iran from seizing ships and oil tankers.



Pakistan Warns it May Expel Thousands of Afghans Hoping for Resettlement in the West

Afghan refugees stand near tents before being deported to Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, 10 April 2025.  EPA/AKHTAR GULFAM
Afghan refugees stand near tents before being deported to Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, 10 April 2025. EPA/AKHTAR GULFAM
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Pakistan Warns it May Expel Thousands of Afghans Hoping for Resettlement in the West

Afghan refugees stand near tents before being deported to Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, 10 April 2025.  EPA/AKHTAR GULFAM
Afghan refugees stand near tents before being deported to Afghanistan, in Chaman, Pakistan, 10 April 2025. EPA/AKHTAR GULFAM

Pakistan said Thursday that thousands of Afghan migrants who have applied for resettlement in third countries could face forced expulsion if they are not relocated by host nations before the end of April.
Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry did not mention specific host countries, but his announcement follows the suspension of US refugee admissions programs that has left over 25,000 Afghan nationals facing uncertainty. Some of the Afghans also are trying to resettle in other Western countries, including the UK, The Associated Press reported.
Chaudhry said an April 30 deadline for resettlement of applicants has been communicated to potential host countries. He also said that any foreigners in the country illegally would be deported immediately, and that those who have obtained UN refugee status would be allowed to stay at least through June.
Many Afghans fled their country after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, fearing reprisals. Some had worked with the US military, international organizations, aid agencies, media outlets or human rights groups.
Thousands already have been relocated to the United States, with those who worked for the US military given a priority by the US government. Thousands more have been living in Pakistan while seeking relocation to the United States or other Western countries.
Chaudhry said thousands of Afghans have been sent back over the past week as part of expulsions that began in October 2023, when Pakistan launched a crackdown on foreigners living illegally in Pakistan. Since then, more than 850,000 Afghans had been repatriated.
He said an estimated 800,000 additional Afghan migrants are in the country illegally, and that 1.4 million are in Pakistan with UN refugee status.
Spokesman Shafqat Ali Khan at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told a news conference that the expulsions were not targeted specifically at Afghans and that any foreigners in the country illegally were being deported.
He also said Pakistan was engaged with UN agencies for the protection of people in vulnerable situations. “There is hardly any example of a country which has been more generous to refugees than Pakistan,” he said.