Washington denies Tehran’s claim that it destroyed a US radar system in Bahrain as diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions remain uncertain.
Tensions between the United States and Iran have increased after Tehran claimed that its military forces had attacked a US early-warning radar system in Bahrain.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Friday that it had targeted the radar facility in response to an earlier attack on a telecommunications tower in the southern Iranian town of Sirik.
Iranian officials claimed that the radar system had been destroyed. However, the United States military rejected the claim, saying Iranian drones had been intercepted.
The US military has not confirmed that its radar facility was destroyed. Bahrain has also not independently confirmed Iran’s account.
The development comes amid continuing disagreements between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear programme, maritime security and military activities in the Gulf region.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said further American military action against Iran was not necessary at present, arguing that economic pressure was weakening the country.
President Donald Trump has also expressed uncertainty about reaching a new agreement with Tehran.
Iranian officials, meanwhile, have insisted that negotiations must address their conditions, including sanctions and military pressure.
The United Nations has raised concerns about growing maritime security incidents in the region, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, an important route for international oil and gas shipments.
Diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions are continuing, but no comprehensive agreement has been announced.
