Khamenei warns US warships in Gulf 'could be sunk' as nuclear talks resume

2026-02-17 - 11:45

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivered a blistering warning Tuesday against US warships currently deployed to the Persian Gulf, asserting they "could be sunk to the bottom of the sea." Speaking at an event in Tehran, Khamenei directly challenged President Donald Trump's characterization of the US military as the world's strongest: "The strongest army in the world may receive a slap it cannot recover from." Warships and Weapons "They keep saying that we sent a warship toward Iran. Very well, a warship is indeed a dangerous machine, but more dangerous than a warship is the weapon that can sink it to the bottom of the sea," Khamenei added. His comments follow Trump's Friday statement that the USS Gerald R. Ford—described as the world's largest aircraft carrier—would deploy to the region "very soon" if nuclear talks fail. The USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying destroyers are already stationed in the Gulf, dispatched last month amid escalating tensions. Nuclear Talks Underway Khamenei's remarks coincided with the second round of indirect nuclear negotiations between Tehran and Washington, held Tuesday in Geneva under Omani mediation. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff conducted separate talks with Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi at the Omani Embassy before exchanging notes. The negotiations resumed this month after an eight-month suspension following the 12-day Iran-Israel war. Khamenei cautioned that deciding negotiation outcomes beforehand is "wrong and foolish," while Iran's top military commander warned Sunday that any war would serve as "a lesson" for Trump.