Iran: No Need for Persian Gulf Military Escort Plan
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s First Vice-President Eshaq Jahangiri dismissed the US idea of establishing military escorts for ships in the Persian Gulf, stressing that security of the region comes within the purview of Iran and other regional states alone.
In comments during a visit to an exhibition in the northern city of Karaj on Tuesday, Jahangiri rejected the American plans for what the Pentagon has called a new security initiative in the Persian Gulf for deterring attacks on commercial ships.
“There is no need for the formation of a coalition to protect the region,” the vice president underlined, saying Iran has been a guardian of the Persian Gulf throughout history.
The foreign parties that seek to set up coalitions have always aggravated insecurity whenever they have left their own regions, Jahangiri deplored, stressing, “Iran can ensure the security of the region with the help of regional countries.”
The only way to enjoy a safe region is to remove pressures on Iran, he said, adding, “The enemies must enter negotiations and logical dialogue without imposing pressure on Iran, and then they will see that a good and calm region will be there for everyone.”
He also said that the recent developments in the Persian Gulf demonstrated that it is possible to settle conflicts through logical dialogue with Iran with respect and interaction, warning that any other approach to dealing with Tehran would result in a defeat and harm the region.
His comments came after the Pentagon said the US is working on a new security initiative in the Persian Gulf by “shining a flashlight” in the region to deter attacks on commercial ships.
“This is not a coalition against Iran... If you were militarily confronting Iran, this is not the construct that you would use,” said Kathryn Wheelbarger, one of the most senior policy officials at the Pentagon.
“The goal is to increase maritime domain awareness and surveillance capabilities in the region to dissuade malign action,” Reuters quoted her as saying.
Under a plan detailed on July 9, the US would provide coordinating ships and lead surveillance efforts while participants in the coalition patrolled nearby waters and escorted commercial vessels with their nation’s flags.
In remarks in 2016, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei underlined that security of the Persian Gulf region comes within the purview of the regional countries alone, and dismissed the US claim of seeking security in the region.
“The Persian Gulf security relates to the countries of the region which have common interests, and not to the US. So, security of the Persian Gulf region should be provided by the countries of this region itself,” the Leader said.
