Cmdr rejects US officials' false claim of vessels' confrontation

EghtesadOnline: Commander of the navy forces of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Ali Fadavi on Tuesday dismissed 'sheer lie' of American officials that the IRGC vessels had encountered US ships in the Persian Gulf and the distance between the two had not been observed.

News ID: ۷۶۹۴۰۶

14 September 2016

Whatever claimed by the White House and Pentagon officials are untrue and their reports are sheer lies, Fadavi said, adding that there are evidence, documents and film footages available in that connection, according to IRNA.

He said that IRGC forces have full control over the Persian Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz.

The vessels present in the region, particularly those belonging to Britain, the US, France, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, are operating under the US command, Fadavi said.

They have never dared over the past years to violate the rules of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the international law to near the Iranian territorial waters, the commander added.

The IRGC naval forces have been keeping a permanent presence in the Iranian territorial waters and international waters of the Persian Gulf from the far north part of the region to the far south of the region in Strait of Hormuz and Jask and Chabahar, Fadavi said.

He said that it was for the presence of the IRGC forces that the US marines were arrested when they unintentionally entered the Iranian waters on January 11.

There is no reason for the presence of US forces in the Persian Gulf region, Fadavi said, adding that they are the cause of insecurity in this part of the world and the most professional decision by the US would be to withdraw its forces from the Persian Gulf.