ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — An Iranian ship captain was killed Friday in a US strike in the Persian Gulf that Washington has not publicly acknowledged, according to Iranian state media, as millions of Americans prepare to cast their ballots in Tuesday's midterm elections, which could have significant implications for Tehran.
Captain Naser Ebrahimi-Nejadan was killed by shrapnel when a vessel came under US attack in the Persian Gulf on Friday, the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) reported on Sunday evening. It said a ceremony to honour the 50-year-old was scheduled to take place in his hometown of Abadan southwest of the country later that night.
State media provided no further details about the circumstances surrounding the captain's death or the vessel involved. The incident is the latest highlight of tensions between Iran and the United States amid growing speculation that Washington and Israel may launch another wave of strikes against Tehran.
Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has given his military commanders broad authority to respond to any further US or Israeli attacks, instructing them to retaliate without geographical restrictions.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) reported at least two further attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday. Separately, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a tanker was struck by two unidentified projectiles on Sunday in the Persian Gulf, 72 nautical miles east of Saudi Arabia's Ras al-Khafji. All crew members were accounted for, and no environmental damage was reported.
The latest developments come as US Central Command (CENTCOM) continues to reinforce its military presence in the region while Tehran and Washington continue talks through Qatari mediators, with Iran saying a recent US message by US Vice President JD Vance was a "positive step.”
CENTCOM said on Saturday that US forces had redirected 144 commercial vessels attempting to access Iranian ports under a naval blockade that has been in place since mid-July.
CENTCOM also accused Iran of deliberately targeting civilian mariners. “Iran has not only intentionally attacked civilian infrastructure, neighborhoods, and other facilities in neighboring Gulf countries, but it has also deliberately attacked civilian mariners at sea — killing more than 20 in recent months. Iran’s indiscriminate aggression is clearly evident and inexcusable,” CENTCOM said.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump appears to have paused plans to launch a fresh strike campaign against Iran ahead of Tuesday's midterm elections, following a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday.
“The only reason why I’m not finished with Iran is I want to be nice. I want to try and save all those lives if I can,” Trump told a rally in Iowa on Sunday.
“But at some point, we're going to have to give them the hammer.”
