Iran says monitoring Persian Gulf as US plans to bolster presence

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iran says it is closely monitoring the Persian Gulf as the United States announces a plan to increase its maritime presence in the region.

"The movement of enemy vessels in the Persian Gulf is always under the surveillance of the IRGC [Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] Navy," Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the IRGC Navy, said on Friday, Fars news reported.

He noted that Iranian forces have made advancements in military technology and said, "With such equipment and capable forces, the preparedness level of the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran is increasing day by day."

The US Navy on Friday announced it was bolstering its presence in the Persian Gulf, increasing the rotation of ships and aircraft patrolling the vital naval corridor the Strait of Hormuz to deter Iran, which, according to the Navy, has harassed or attacked 15 internationally flagged ships in the past two years.

“Iran’s unwarranted, irresponsible and unlawful seizure and harassment of merchant vessels must stop,” said Vice Admiral Brad Cooper who commands the US fleet in the Persian Gulf.

“US 5th Fleet and our partners are committed to protecting navigational rights in these critical waters,” he added.

Iran seized two oil tankers in the space of a week. On April 27, the Marshall Island tanker Advantage Sweet was seized after colliding with an Iranian boat, according to state media. And on May 3, the Panama-flagged ship Niovi was seized while traveling through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital waterway linking the Persian Gulf with the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. About a fifth of global oil supplies pass through the strait daily.

The US “will not allow foreign or regional powers to jeopardize freedom of navigation through the Middle East waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz,” National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby told reporters on Friday.

Iran has repeatedly demanded the US to withdraw its forces from the region.

The two have had many tense interactions in the Persian Gulf over the years. Tensions between them in 2019 sparked concerns that the strait could be blocked, creating havoc for global oil markets.

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