Tehran: A senior commander of Iran`s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said the ongoing maneuver of the United States and its allies in the Persian Gulf can cause insecurity in the region, Press TV reported Saturday.
"The maneuver is a passive reaction but the US presence in the region, like its presence in Iraq, Afghanistan and many other regions in the world, has only stoked insecurity," IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi was quoted as saying on Friday.
The United States and its allies are holding the drill to claim that they can resist against the Islamic republic, but they should know that they are the cause of insecurity in the region, he added.
Another Iranian senior navy commander, Second Rear Admiral Hossein Azad, said Iran`s Armed Forces are fully monitoring the naval exercise of the United States and its allies in the Persian Gulf, Press TV reported Friday.
The United States and its allies are performing the maneuver in the Persian Gulf under the pretext of improving security, but history has proven the falsehood of their claims, Azad was quoted as saying.
He emphasized that only regional countries can safeguard security in the region.
The United States and about 25 of its allies started Sunday a largest-scale mine-sweeping exercise in the Persian Gulf, in a show of unity and defensive step to prevent Iran`s attempt to block oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian military officials have threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz in the face of mounting Western pressure.
ANI
