TEHRAN – Commander of the IRGC Navy said on Monday that there is no place for foreign forces, like the U.S. warships, in the Persian Gulf, warning of the environmental problems that could arise by the presence of nuclear powered foreign warships in the Persian Gulf.

Speaking to reporters in Mashhad, Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said Iranian forces are vigilantly controlling the country’s southern waters in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, Tasnim reported.

He underlined that Iran’s intelligence service is closely watching the enemy’s moves in the Persian Gulf, saying that by dispatching nuclear vessels to the Persian Gulf, the foreigners are causing problems for Iran and other Persian Gulf countries.

The presence of foreign forces in the Persian Gulf disrupts the security of the region, he emphasized.

“We have a message for our Muslim neighbors, and have announced several times that we extend the hand of fraternity to you (the neighbors) and believe that the Persian Gulf is our home, so we can ensure the security of the Persian Gulf and there is no need for the presence of foreigners like the U.S. and the countries whose home is not in here,” Tangsiri said.

The Navy chief also said Iran has never launched any attack on other countries, and that the enemies have misrepresented the reality in order to deploy forces to the region and sell their weapons.

In remarks in 2016, Ayatollah Khamenei underlined that the security of the Persian Gulf region comes within the purview of the regional countries alone, and dismissed the U.S. claim of seeking security in the region.

“The Persian Gulf’s security relates to the countries of the region which have common interests, and not to the U.S.,” the Leader said.

MH/PA