Iran’s navy commander has called for an end to the presence of extra-regional forces, especially those of the United States, in the Persian Gulf, saying they have only created instability in the region .
“While the Persian Gulf and the Arabian Sea are a safe and stable region, we have seen increased insecurity in the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Bab el-Mandeb in recent years, and that is why we don’t understand the [reason for] the presence of coalition forces in the Persian Gulf. We believe that the main purpose of their presence is to undermine the dialogue between the [regional] marines,” Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi said Wednesday.
He made the remarks during a meeting with French Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Pierre Vandier on the sidelines of the Indian Ocean (ION) Naval Symposium held at the Reunion Island, a French overseas region located in the Indian Ocean.
The senior commander said Iran was closely monitoring the movements of foreign forces in the region, adding: “Today, a number of American and European ships, as well as French ships, are present in the Gulf region. Persian, but we are watching and keeping a watchful eye on all their movements and vessels, even from afar.
He reiterated that the security of any maritime domain can only be ensured by the countries of this geography.
Iran is protesting the presence of EU ships as well as US ships near its shores, Khanzadi said, adding: “We believe that such unwarranted security suits do not improve collective security and should be suspended. “.
For his part, the French commander hailed Iran’s performance during its chairmanship of the IONS summit and called for increased communication and interaction between the Iranian and French navies to reduce tensions in the region. .
He said former US President Donald Trump called on Washington’s allies to send forces to the region to increase pressure on Iran, but the French government backtracked slightly on US policy.
He argued that European countries should be present in the Persian Gulf region “to ensure the security of the region”, but stressed that “we were not present in any of the American operations”.
France and Europe seek security without conflict or tension, he said, adding, “We are always in contact with American forces, and we would like to be in contact with you.”
The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (ION) is a forum designed to increase maritime security cooperation, discuss regional maritime issues and promote friendly relations among member states.
It has 24 member nations and eight states with observer status.
The symposium was first held in 2008 with India as host.
Tensions between Iran and the United States have escalated under the Trump administration over a range of issues, including Washington’s withdrawal from a landmark nuclear deal Iran signed with major powers in 2015. and sending new military equipment to the West Asia region.
The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), a US-led military coalition in the Persian Gulf, officially launched operations in early November 2019, meant to protect shipping lanes near Iranian territorial waters.
Although a number of American allies have joined the coalition Aiming to counter what it called the “Iranian threat”, the so-called coalition failed to win support from other allies, prompting Washington to backtrack on its earlier attempt.
In an about-face, the Trump administration later said the coalition was not meant to counter the Islamic Republic and a senior Pentagon official said the coalition should be less operational and more focused on increasing intelligence capabilities. surveillance.
“The goal is to increase maritime domain awareness and surveillance capabilities in the region to deter malicious actions,” said Kathryn Wheelbarger, one of the Pentagon’s top policy officials at the time.
