Iran Warns Israel Against a Military Presence in Persian Gulf Waters

by Stephen Lendman

On Tuesday, Israel war minister Israel Katz said the Netanyahu regime will join the US-led Persian Gulf maritime coalition.

It has nothing to do with protecting the security of seaborne traffic through its waters, especially through the Hormuz Strait — everything to do with the Trump regime's unlawful anti-Iran "maximum pressure."

Reportedly, Israel will only provide intelligence to the US and Britain, what both countries have plenty of, short of deploying vessels in the Gulf near Iranian waters.

Britain is the only nation agreeing to go this far, offering a minimal presence with two warships, the only NATO member state to go along with the Trump regime's anti-Iran mission.

Britain's war ministry said it "will draw largely on assets already in the region." Weeks of pressure by Pompeo and Bolton failed to enlist more partners for a mission most nations want no part of.

At this stage, it's a coalition one, the US, with barebones involvement of the UK and Israel.

Days earlier, Iranian Defense Minister Amir Hatami warned that the US military presence in the Gulf will "increase insecurity." Israeli involvement will have "disastrous consequences" for the region.

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas slammed the Trump regime's aim to heighten regional tensions by the presence of Pentagon and allied warships in Persian Gulf waters.

The US and Zionist regimes are responsible for regional violence and instability. Iran reserves the right to defend itself against threats they pose.

Its IRGC commander General Hossein Salami warned about the threat of further war in a part of the world already ablaze from US, NATO, Israeli aggression. 

"We are now in a full-scale war with the big powers," he stressed, adding that attacking Iran "will put the Zionist regime under a full-scale threat."

"As (for) strategy…we act defensively, meaning that we will not be the ones to start or initiate any war."

On Thursday, Iranian General Ali Fadavi said "it has become clear to all the world and especially to our enemies that the power of our revolution is exemplary and that they cannot stand against it," adding: 

"The hostile governments are in a position of weakness and passivity…Although they cannot express such weakness because of their arrogant nature, their actions and behavior clearly show that they are unable to resist the (Islamic) Revolution's power." 

Iran seeks peace, not war. If attacked, it'll hit back hard against aggressors, including US regional forces and Israel, its ballistic and cruise missiles able to strike regional targets accurately, including the Jewish state throughout its territory.

Head of the Iranian Army's Strategic Studies Center/deputy IRGC commander General Amed Reza Pourdastan believes the hostile US Gulf coalition is doomed to fail because the world community rejects it.

On Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif tweeted the following:

"Persian Gulf is vital lifeline and thus nat'l security priority for Iran, which has long ensured maritime security.

Mindful of this reality, any extra-regional presence is by definition source of insecurity - despite propaganda. 

Iran won't hesitate to safeguard its security."

With its over 600 mile-long border along the Persian Gulf and Hormuz Strait into the Indian Ocean, the Islamic Republic guarantees the security of its waters.

Other nations bordering the Gulf include Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain — involved as well to a lesser extent.

US and other foreign nations in the Gulf are a hostile presence in a part of the world where they don't belong.

Will Trump regime hardliners push DJT to war on Iran? Will he go along believing it's winnable?

The US hasn't won a war since WW II, since that time never facing a nation able to hit back as hard as Iran.

Trump is a geopolitical know-nothing, especially on anything related to war, what Pentagon commanders know plenty about.

They're very wary about attacking a nation able to sink their ships, strike their ground forces, and pummel Israel.

It's why they likely advised Trump against attacking Iran. Failure of his regime to enlist Persian Gulf maritime partners is further testimony to world community opposition to war on the nonbelligerent country threatening no one.

The US, NATO and Israel threaten humanity.

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