Iranian gunboats unsuccessfully attempted to intercept a US oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday before a US Navy vessel intervened, reports say.

By Elwely Elwelly DUBAI, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Iran, which is set to resume nuclear talks with the United States on Friday in Oman, has always warned its formidable ballistic missile program - one of the biggest in the Middle East - is a red line in any negotiations.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, again has become a focus of tensions as Iran prepares to launch a military drill that could see fire into a lane crucial for global shipping.

Tensions have continued to rise between the two nations after the Iranian regime’s brutal crackdown on nationwide protests left thousands dead.

Two decades after American forces invaded Iraq, the circumstances are different but the failure is unmistakable.

Iranian MP Mojtaba Zarei urged Jordanians to seize the Muwaffaq Salti Air Base and take US soldiers captive after Tehran strikes the base in a threatened upcoming ballistic missile attack.

The U.S. military has deployed dozens of aircraft and assembled about 12 warships near Iran in the last month, setting the stage for possible strikes.

Even with US forces poised to strike Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told CNN that he was “confident that we can achieve a deal” on Tehran’s nuclear program.