“The illegitimate presence of the aggressive United States and the child-killing Zionist regime in this region has endangered the stability and security of the Persian Gulf. We emphasize that they leave this area as soon as possible so that this sensitive region becomes safer,” Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri said Saturday in comments marking the Persian Gulf National Day.
April 30 marks the Persian Gulf National Day in the Iranian calendar, an occasion to commemorate the exit of colonial and foreign forces from the strategic waterway.
Tangsiri pointed out that the Persian Gulf features some of the most vital maritime borders of Iran and its geographic location has influenced the country's geopolitics and international relations throughout history.
Sitting atop vast oil and gas reserves, the Persian Gulf is located on one of the most important global shipping routes, the commander said, adding that, the waterway has historically attracted the attention of world powers.
The Strait of Hormuz, at the southern mouth of the Persian Gulf, is a strategically important narrow transit point for at least a third of the world's seaborne oil.
Tangsiri said the IRGC will resolutely “protect and safeguard” the Persian Gulf and its resources. “We will not allow any act of aggression against its resources,” he stressed.
Furthermore, the commander warned that the presence of foreign naval vessels in the Persian Gulf poses a serious threat to its ecosystem and marine life. In the event of any accidents involving these vessels, which are primarily nuclear-fueled, the Persian Gulf's ecosystem could be impacted for decades, he pointed out.
On Thursday, Iranian Navy commanders seized a US-bound oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, and directed the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel toward the Islamic Republic's territorial waters after it hit an Iranian fishing ship and tried to flee the scene in violation of maritime regulations.
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