U.S. takes precautions as Iranian foreign minister downplays threat of war

Iran and the U.S. have both maintained they have no intention of becoming mired in a physical, on-the-ground war. On Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said he does not believe such a conflict will break out and that no country is under the "illusion it could confront Iran."

But as tensions heighten between the two nations, media reports out of Saudi Arabia said that multiple Gulf states have agreed to a U.S. request to redeploy military forces in Gulf waters and territories as a form of deterrence should Iran attempt to use force, Al Jazeera reports.

The U.S. has taken other precautionary measures, as well. U.S. diplomats have issued warnings to commercial airliners flying over the Gulf. The diplomats said the planes could be misidentified as military planes, putting them at risk. That said, commercial planes will still be able to fly as normal in the region. Lloyd's of London, an insurance company, also warned of increased risks for ships passing through the region's waters. The advisories went into place after Washington increased sanctions on Iran and pulled non-essential staff from its embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, citing possible threats from Iran's proxy forces.

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