Iran guarantor of Persian Gulf security, peace as foreigners wreaking stability: IRGC Navy chief

Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri made the remarks in an interview on Monday on the occasion of the National Persian Gulf Day.

He added that the national day is the anniversary of the end of Portugal’s 117-year occupation of the Persian Gulf.

Pointing to the importance of the strategic inland sea, Tangsiri said the deepest waters are on the coast of the Persian Gulf and the best waterways are located on the Iranian side.

The region is “very important” when it comes to security issues, he noted, emphasizing that Iran has repeatedly conveyed its message of peace and friendship to regional countries.

Iran seeks to establish security in the Strait of Hormuz and has guaranteed security for 83 ships that pass through this strait on a daily basis, Tangsiri said.

The IRGC commander, however, emphasized that foreigners are disturbing the security of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

He warned against two ominous goals of foreigners in the Persian Gulf, saying they seek to have an illegitimate presence in the region and sell their weapons.

“Those who come to this region from thousands of miles away do not seek [to boost] security,” the senior Iranian commander stated.

The Persian Gulf is important for Iran, which has a coastal length of 1,375 kilometers, he noted.

He added that the Persian Gulf has an important position economically, and 40% of the world’s gas and 62% of its oil are located in this region.

The Persian Gulf — which spans some 251,000 square kilometers — is bounded by the Arvand River in the north, which forms the frontier between Iran and Iraq, and the Strait of Hormuz in the south, which links the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean.

The strategic inland sea is an international trade route connecting West Asia to Africa, India, and China.