Iran closely monitoring U.S. allies’ moves in Persian Gulf: admiral
(MNA) - The commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Naval Force has said that Iran is keeping a close eye on every move that the allies of the United States make in the Persian Gulf region.
Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi made the remarks during a meeting with Omani Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations and Planning Brigadier Rashid bin Saif al Shidi in Tehran on Tuesday.
The developments taking place in the region are to the detriment of the United States, Fadavi stated.
He added, “Countries in the region and the world no longer regard the United States’ role as influential. The Americans, given the non-realization of their goals in Iraq and the mutually agreed plan for the withdrawal, actually fled the country in ignominy. The situation of the United States in Afghanistan will be worse than Iraq, and the U.S. departure from Afghanistan is a certainty. However, before their departure, they have wreaked havoc. And vigilance should be exercised so that other countries will not” experience the same fate as Iraq and Afghanistan.
“The situation should not be provided for the United States’ malevolence,” he said, adding, “Interaction and cooperation among regional countries is the only factor that can set an appropriate precedent. There are certain countries in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz regions that are making malicious moves against their own interests and (the interests) of Muslims.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is closely and comprehensively monitoring the moves of the countries that are taking steps toward serving the interests of the United States and is keeping a close watch on their military and non-military vessels.
“Iranian naval forces have always emphasized interaction and cooperation with neighboring countries, and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Naval Force and the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army pay due attention to this matter.
“Thanks to the establishment of the headquarters (of the IRGC Naval Force), the Persian Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz are being monitored from the closest place possible, and, in fact, it can be said that the region is being controlled from the sea.
The region is experiencing a “special” situation, Fadavi stated, adding, “In these circumstances, regional countries should keep a closer eye on the situation, and the establishment and the promotion of cooperation can play a significant role in this regard.”
Commenting on the Strait of Hormuz, he said that the strategically important checkpoint accounts for a high percentage of the world’s seaborne oil shipments.
“Over the last years of the imposed war (1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war), 9 to 10 million barrels of oil passed through this region (every day), but this figure has (now) reached 20 million barrels. And according to the forecasts made by global authorities, the number of oil barrels passing through the Strait of Hormuz will reach 35 to 40 million. And these statistics show the expanding strategic role of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz in global energy equations,” the IRGC Naval Force commander noted.
The United States has used false pretexts for maintaining a presence in the Persian Gulf region, Fadavi added.
He said, “The Americans have expanded the presence of their forces in the Persian Gulf since the last years of the imposed war under the pretext of maintaining the security of global energy (supplies), but they have never been able to prove their claims.
“In 1986, the Americans deployed more than 80 warships to the Persian Gulf under the pretext of maintaining the security of global energy (supplies), and, in the last year and a half of the war, 300 of their military, commercial, and oil vessels were hit, while in the first six and a half years of the war, 250 vessels were hit, and this gives the lie to the U.S. claims. The United States is making every effort to serve its interests and achieve its purposes. And the killing of more than one million people in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other regional countries is a clearer indication of this fact.”
During the meeting, the Omani official called for the expansion of ties between Tehran and Muscat.