USS Nimitz Aircraft Carrier Remains in Persian Gulf Waters
The Pentagon announced that it has reconsidered its previous decision to withdraw the Nimitz aircraft carrier and the ship will remain in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. Department of Defense stated that this decision was made in connection with “recent threats” from Iran.
The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier was deployed to the region since late November of last year to control the security of Persian Gulf waters. The U.S. Department of Defense had previously announced its decision to relocate this aircraft carrier.
French news agency AFP reported on Monday, January 4th (December 15th) from Washington about the U.S. Department of Defense’s reversal of its decision to withdraw the aircraft carrier from Persian Gulf waters.
According to the report, the Pentagon decided on the anniversary of the killing of Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force, to keep this warship in Persian Gulf waters to counter “recent threats” from Iran.
On December 31st, the U.S. Department of Defense announced that the order to return the aforementioned warship was issued by Christopher Miller, the acting U.S. Secretary of Defense.
The New York Times reported, citing U.S. military officials, that the policy of withdrawing the Nimitz warship from Persian Gulf waters was aimed at reducing tensions between the United States and Iran.
Following the increase in recent threatening statements by some Iranian officials about the necessity of retaliating for the drone attack on the vehicle carrying Qasem Soleimani, the Pentagon reconsidered its policy of withdrawing this ship.
Christopher Miller said in his new statement: “Given the recent threats by Iran’s leaders against Donald Trump, the President of the United States, and other officials of this country, I have ordered the USS Nimitz to continue its operations.”
The acting U.S. Secretary of Defense stated that no country should doubt the determination of the United States. Miller did not provide clarification on the “recent threats.”
On Sunday, January 3rd, thousands of people in Baghdad participated in demonstrations marking the anniversary of the U.S. drone attack on the vehicle carrying Qasem Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, senior commanders of the Popular Mobilization Forces, and the killing of these two military commanders, demanding the withdrawal of this country’s military forces from Iraq through anti-American slogans.
Source: DW
