Concurrently with the efforts of the United States and Britain to issue a UN resolution against Iran’s civilian nuclear program, the Pentagon has dispatched more warships to the Persian Gulf.

During his recent surprise visit to Iraq, new U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates stated that U.S. forces would remain in the region for a very long time.

Although the Pentagon spokesman has announced that the presence of U.S. naval forces in the Persian Gulf poses no threat to Iran, it seems that after their military failures in Iraq, Washington and London have decided to flex their muscles.

The U.S. Navy has been increasing its presence in the Persian Gulf since 1980, when Iraq started a war against Iran. However, Iran has always tried to prevent the strategic waterway from being turned into a battleground for regional and international rivals.

Due to Iran’s efforts to guarantee the security of the strategic Persian Gulf, which accounts for about 70 percent of the world’s oil supplies, this flashpoint has never been ignited.

Indeed, the wise policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran have allowed oil tankers to safely and regularly transit the Persian Gulf.

Although some terrorist groups are trying to cut the energy lifeline of the United States and other industrialized countries, Iran has paid a heavy price over the years to safeguard the Persian Gulf from this threat.

As for U.S. and British forces, they will not only be unable to restore security to the Persian Gulf region but will also become an easy target for terrorists.

Throughout the first (1980-1988), second (1990-1991), and third (2003 to today) Persian Gulf wars, Iran has successfully provided a secure transit route for oil tankers.

Thus, the efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran should be extolled by Western countries.

Yet, if the military presence in the Persian Gulf is meant to threaten Iran, U.S. officials should be aware of the fact that Tehran has many means at its disposal for responding to security threats.

Although the military failure of the United States and Britain in Iraq should compel White House and Pentagon officials to take a wiser approach to settling the current crisis, it seems that Washington and London are trying to compensate for their mistake by committing even more serious mistakes.

Due to its global economic significance, the Persian Gulf should be a center of peaceful coexistence between different states and not a scene for displays of power.

It should also be noted that the deterioration of the security situation in the Persian Gulf will never discourage the Iranian nation from continuing their civilian nuclear program.

Iran has never tried to create insecurity in the Persian Gulf.

However, in the worst case scenario, the real losers will be those countries that buy their oil from the Persian Gulf and the repercussions will definitely affect Persian Gulf security, regional countries, the United States, and the entire Western world.

For almost 28 years, Iran has experienced various economic sanctions and conspiracies hatched by the United States, but the Iranian nation has always vigilantly responded to the challenges in order to maintain the country’s independence and territorial integrity.