TEHRAN -- A senior Iranian military commander says the security of the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean has nothing to do with the United States.
Abolfazl Shekarchi, the spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces, made the remarks while speaking to reporters, in response to reported U.S. plan to put guards on commercial ships going through the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
“What the security of the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean has to do with America? What are you (U.S. forces) doing here?” the commander said, adding, “All the countries in the region are capable of establishing security in these waters.”
The U.S. announced recently that it is planning to deploy its Marines, along with jet fighters and warships, in yet another act of intrusion into the Persian Gulf and far from their borders, in hopes of deterring Iran on its own turf amid repeated Iranian vows against foreign military presence in the strategic waterway.
The deployment of American troops and USS Bataan aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf, alongside advanced F-35 fighter jets and other warplanes, signals the failure of Washington’s forceful economic and “diplomatic” measures against Iran and comes amid U.S. desire to focus most of its resources on nuclear rivals China and Russia, the Associated Press reported Tuesday.
Shekarchi said it is the U.S. policy to blame third countries for insecurity in the region and use it as a pretext to boost its military presence in regional waters.
The Iranian commander lashed out at the U.S. for looting the Muslim nations’ resources to manufacture weapons and selling those arms back to the regional countries.
He said the weapons manufactured by the U.S. and Europe are now used against civilians in Gaza and Yemen, but they accuse Iran of interfering in the regional countries’ affairs.
Pointing to drills conducted by Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday, Shekarchi said the maneuvers are aimed at sending a message to the regional countries that they do not need to rely on foreigners in order to ensure security of the region.
The senior military commander advised regional countries to put their trust in Iran, saying, “We guarantee the establishment of security in regional waters.”
The IRGC Navy carried out its latest naval drills in Abu Musa Island to show its power and readiness to protect the security of the Persian Gulf as well as all the Iranian islands there.
The maneuvers involved operational combat, missile, drone, air and sea, electronic warfare, and rapid response units, along with the Basij volunteer forces.
Shekarchi further warned those who cast a covetous eye on the three Iranian islands in the Persian Gulf to heed the Islamic Republic’s power in order to avoid any miscalculation.
The three Persian Gulf islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa have been historically part of Iran, the proof of which can be found and corroborated by countless historical, legal, and geographical documents in Iran and other parts of the world. However, the United Arab Emirates has repeatedly laid baseless claims to the islands.