Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif said foreign military presence in the Persian Gulf undermines regional security.
“We have always maintained that foreign presence in the Persian Gulf is disruptive and benefits no one,” the top diplomat said on Wednesday in response to the reported deployment of a US aircraft carrier to the region, IRNA reported.
Zarif also stressed, “The Islamic Republic will powerfully defend its sovereignty, territorial integrity and waters, and our armed forces are well capable of safeguarding national interests.”
The Daily Express reported on Wednesday that a US aircraft carrier strike group, including the USS John C Stennis and support ships, is on its way to the Persian Gulf, marking the first such US military presence in the area for eight months.
The two-month deployment of the Stennis is a “show of force” against Iran, as the US is intensifying a pressure campaign against the country, the Wall Street Journal said.
US State Department’s special envoy for Iran, Brian Hook, has recently said the US keeps “a military option on the table” while pursuing a political solution to the disputes with Iran.
