As U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran continue, on Friday, March 20 the Iranian military publicly warned that “parks, recreational areas, and tourist destinations” worldwide could become potential targets, raising concerns about the spillover of the conflict.
According to the Associated Press, Iran’s top military spokesperson, Abolfazl Shekarchi, said in a statement on national television: “From now on, based on the information we have about you, even parks, recreational areas, and tourist destinations anywhere in the world will no longer be safe for you.”
This warning came amid ongoing U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Analysts note that the statement suggests Iran may be considering extending the conflict beyond the Middle East, using cross-regional attacks to pressure its opponents.
Revolutionary Guard spokesperson killed in airstrike
Meanwhile, Iran’s leadership suffered another blow. According to the New York Post, Iranian state television confirmed on Friday that Ali Mohammad Naini, spokesperson and deputy head of public relations for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), was killed in a U.S.-Israeli joint airstrike.
Naini’s death occurred just days after Israel targeted other key figures in the Iranian regime. Previously, the Israeli military struck Ali Larijani, considered the “de facto leader” of the regime, and Gholamreza Soleimani, responsible for suppressing protests, hitting the core of Iran’s power structure.
For the best of our weekly content！
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Check your email to complete sign up
Hours before being killed, Naini had publicly stated that despite the U.S. military’s ongoing “Operation Epic Fury,” Tehran still has the capability to manufacture missiles.
He said: “These people expect the war to continue until the enemy is completely exhausted. This war must end when the shadow of war disappears from our nation.”
Naini’s remarks were in response to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had previously claimed that Iran “no longer has uranium enrichment capability, nor the ability to produce ballistic missiles,” emphasizing that Israel continues to destroy such capabilities “and will crush them into dust and ashes.”
Iran dismisses claims navy destroyed
On the maritime front, Naini also dismissed claims that Iran’s navy had been destroyed and warned U.S. President Donald Trump that any attempt to send vessels into the Persian Gulf would carry risks.
He said: “The Strait of Hormuz is entirely under the control of the Revolutionary Guard Navy, and Iran has full sovereignty over it.”
However, U.S. reports show that Iran’s maritime forces have suffered significant losses. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) commander Admiral Brad Cooper said the U.S. military has destroyed over 100 Iranian vessels and warned that operations against Iran “are not over.”
The U.S. military also released recent footage showing attacks on Iranian vessels threatening the Strait of Hormuz. The strait connects the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Sea, and is one of the world’s most critical energy transit routes, with roughly one-fifth of global oil supplies passing through it.
Reports indicate that the Trump administration has discussed deploying ground forces to ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains secure, while also urging allies to take a more active role in maintaining safe navigation.
Leaders from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom jointly condemned Iran’s “attempts to obstruct commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz” and urged Tehran to immediately halt such actions.
Original article
Comments