The Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of Iran has claimed that his country has been successful in minimizing the number of foreign forces in the region. A number of extra-regional troops in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz gave diminished during the last few years, claimed the top Iranian commander.
Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, who was visiting an air base in Iran’s southern port city of Bushehr on Sunday said, “The presence of large fleets of extra-regional forces in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz has been lessened as compared to the past.”
The top Iranian commander said it proves that security prevails in the region, and the Iranian Armed Forces are acting mightily. He further said that the Islamic Republic of Iran is in charge of the security of a major part of the Persian Gulf. Iranian forces are powerfully ensuring the security of its northern half, he added.
The Iranian military forces have become so powerful that no American aircraft carrier has been deployed to the Persian Gulf during the past two years. US Military vessels have stayed over 1,000 kilometers away from the coasts of Iran, said Baqeri in his speech.
Mohammad Hossein Baqeri, as reported by Tasnim also boasted that the Iranian naval and aerial patrol units are present in the Persian Gulf around the clock. The Iranian troops are protecting the security of trade vessels and fishing boats as well as oil, gas, and petrochemical facilities.
Iran has remained sentimental about the presence of foreign forces in the Persian Gulf. Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei in his address in April 2020 highlighted the key role that Iran plays in maintaining security in the Persian Gulf. “The presence of foreigners jeopardizes any initiative that could benefit regional people”, the Iranian Supreme Leader had then said.
Meanwhile, Iranian officials maintain that the security of the Persian Gulf region comes within the purview of the regional countries alone. They dismiss the US claim of seeking security in the region.
