IN a press briefing held in Tehran, Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Nasser Kanaani criticized the United States military presence in the region which he said aims to exacerbate insecurity and instability.
Kanaani pointed out that Gulf countries can provide security for themselves and design a collective security pattern without the presence of foreign troops.
The US has accused Iran of seizing foreign vessels in the waters of the Persian Gulf in recent years and vowed to send more troops and military vessels into the strategic waterway.
Tehran on the other hand slammed Washington for defending smuggling activities in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes and for interfering in its own investigation of foreign vessels it claimed are stealing its precious oil.
In a recent update, more than 3,000 US military personnel have arrived in the Red Sea on board two warships, in response to Iran’s alleged seizures of several civilian ships.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman called on Arab States to jointly build a cooperation framework against the increasing presence of US troops in the Middle East.
