Press TV - Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has condemned the United States� attempts to set up a military coalition in the Persian Gulf to counter what it calls the �Iran threat,� stressing that the presence of extra-regional military forces in the strategic region will act as a �source of insecurity.�

Zarif, in a post published on his official Twitter page on Friday, described the Persian Gulf as a vital lifeline, and accordingly a national security priority for Iran.


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.



� Javad Zarif (@JZarif)�August 9, 2019

He added that Iran has long acted as the guarantor of maritime security in the body of water, emphasizing that the Islamic Republic will not be reluctant to safeguard its security.

Earlier in the day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi pointed to �illegitimate existence� of the Israeli regime in the Middle East as a source of insecurity and instability.

He highlighted that Iran considers possible Israeli presence in a US-led coalition in the Persian Gulf as a clear threat to its national security, and reserves the right to counter it.
"Within the framework of the country's deterrence and defensive policy, the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to counter this threat and defend its territory," Mousavi noted.
"The US regime and the illegitimate Zionist regime are responsible for all the consequences of this dangerous move," the spokesman added.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on�August 7 that the regime would be part of the US-led coalition to �protect the security of the Persian Gulf�.

Katz claimed that Israel was determined to stop �Iranian entrenchment� in the Middle East region and strengthen Tel Aviv�s relationship with Persian Gulf countries, Israeli news website Ynet reported.

On Thursday, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami warned against the consequences of a maritime coalition force the US plans to create in the Persian Gulf, stressing that regional security comes within the purview of regional states alone.

In separate telephone conversations with his Kuwaiti, Qatari and Omani counterparts, Brigadier General Hatami underscored that �The military coalition that the US wants to form under the pretext of providing shipping security will only further escalate insecurity in the region.�


"Within the framework of the country's deterrence and defensive policy, the Islamic Republic of Iran reserves the right to counter this threat and defend its territory," Mousavi noted.
"The US regime and the illegitimate Zionist regime are responsible for all the consequences of this dangerous move," the spokesman added.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said on�August 7 that the regime would be part of the US-led coalition to �protect the security of the Persian Gulf�.

Katz claimed that Israel was determined to stop �Iranian entrenchment� in the Middle East region and strengthen Tel Aviv�s relationship with Persian Gulf countries, Israeli news website Ynet reported.

On Thursday, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami warned against the consequences of a maritime coalition force the US plans to create in the Persian Gulf, stressing that regional security comes within the purview of regional states alone.

In separate telephone conversations with his Kuwaiti, Qatari and Omani counterparts, Brigadier General Hatami underscored that �The military coalition that the US wants to form under the pretext of providing shipping security will only further escalate insecurity in the region.�

"We're engaging now with a number of countries to see if we can put together a coalition that would ensure freedom of navigation both in the Straits of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab," Dunford said.

"And so I think probably over the next couple of weeks we'll identify which nations have the political will to support that initiative and then we'll work directly with the militaries to identify the specific capabilities that'll support that," he added.