Iran warns of foreign plots to fuel insecurity in PG
Iran's Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi has warned of foreign plots to fuel insecurity in the Persian Gulf, saying that the Islamic Republic will not allow the regional security to be undermined.
“Iran's Armed Forces will not permit foreign troops to undermine security and peace in the Persian Gulf region,” Brig. Gen. Vahidi said on Wednesday.
“US-Zionist plots such as [a plan to deploy] a missile shield system in the Persian Gulf will damage security in the region and provide security for the illegitimate Zionist regime (Israel),” he added.
US officials have frequently said it is a US “priority” to help the Persian Gulf littoral states build “regional missile defense architecture.”
The Iranian defense minister emphasized that security of the Persian Gulf should solely be maintained by regional countries.
On March 31, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the idea of a missile defense shield in the six members of the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council; namely, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.
She also proposed improved collaboration with the Persian Gulf Arab states on maritime security and missile defense to counter what she called “potential threats” from Iran.
Iranian officials have repeatedly stressed that Iran follows a completely defensive strategy.