Call on US to Avoid Provocative Moves in Persian Gulf

Iran called on the United States to avoid “provocative, unconstructive and destabilizing moves” in the Persian Gulf, after Washington announced the deployment of additional fighter jets around the Strait of Hormoz. 
“Continuation of such measures can create new sensitivities in the region and aggravate instability and insecurity in this geographical location,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said at a regular press briefing on Monday, ISNA reported. 
US intentions in regional issues, especially regarding security, has never been peaceful, he said, adding that the Islamic Republic would carefully monitor any illegal measure that can affect the security of the region and is sensitive about any provocative move, especially near its borders. 
“Iran reserves the rights to take the required deterrent measures in accordance with international rules and regulations and will use its inalienable rights in this regard,” he said. 
Security is a cohesive issue and requires cooperation of all regional states to be ensured and strengthened, according to Kanaani. 
“It is expected of other Persian Gulf littoral states to consider their responsibility in this regard and give due warnings to the US,” he said. 
A senior American defense official said on Friday that the US will send F-16 fighter jets to the Persian Gulf region over the weekend to protect ships from alleged Iranian seizures. 
“The F-16s will give air cover to the ships moving through the waterway and increase the US military’s visibility in the area, as a deterrent to Iran,” the official told AP on condition of anonymity. 
The jets are set to augment the A-10 attack aircraft that have been patrolling there for more than a week, according to the official. 
Washington is increasing military assets in the region on the grounds of claims that Iran tried to seize two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormoz a few weeks ago. 
A US military statement claimed in early July that it had blocked two attempts by the Iranian Navy to seize commercial tankers in international waters off Oman.
The Iranian Navy sought to seize the Marshall Islands-flagged TRF Moss and hours later the Bahamian-flagged Richmond Voyager, in both cases halting the attempt after a US destroyer appeared on the scene, the US Central Command claimed in a statement.
The statement contended that in one case Iranian forces fired shots at the tanker.
Iran later denied the claim saying no attempt has been made to seize oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, according to an informed source who did not provide further details to the media. 
Iranian forces had, however, in April seized two tankers in the span of a week in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, one of them over a judicial complaint by a private plaintiff and the other over a maritime accident with an Iranian fishing craft.
Over the past years, the US navy has several times seized Iranian-controlled tankers and shipments of oil en route to other countries, citing its own sanctions on Iran’s oil exports.
Iran has been under tough American sanctions since 2018, when the US pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.