Iran’s military yesterday warned one of the US navy’s biggest aircraft carriers to keep away from the Gulf, in an escalating showdown over Teheran’s nuclear drive that could pitch into armed confrontation.

“We advise and insist that this warship not return to its former base in the Persian Gulf,” said Brigadier General Ataollah Salehi, Iran’s armed forces chief.

“We don’t have the intention of repeating our warning, and we warn only once,” he was quoted as saying by the armed forces’ official website.

The defiant message came just after Iran completed 10 days of naval manoeuvres at the entrance to the Gulf to show it could close the strategic oil shipping channel in the Strait of Hormuz if it felt threatened.

In the climax of the war games on Monday, Iran test-fired three missiles ­ including a new cruise missile ­ designed to sink warships.

The aircraft carrier Brigadier General Salehi was referring to was the USS John C. Stennis, one of the US navy’s biggest warships. The massive, nuclear-powered vessel transports 90 fighter jets and helicopters and is usually escorted by around five destroyers. It is close to finishing its seven-month deployment at sea.

The carrier last week passed through the Strait of Hormuz heading east.

The United States vowed yesterday to keep American warships deployed in the Gulf region, despite Iran’s strident warnings over the John C Stennis.

“The deployment of US military assets in the Persian Gulf region will continue as it has for decades,” Pentagon press secretary George Little said in a statement.

The movement of US aircraft carriers and accompanying ships in the Gulf and through the strategic Strait of Hormuz were part of longstanding security commitments, supported US military operations in the region and were in compliance with the laws of the sea, he said.