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Israel’s presence in the Persian Gulf may lead to a war in the region, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy Commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri told Lebanese TV channel Al Mayadeen.
“The United States and the United Kingdom must assume responsibility for the Zionist regime’s illegal presence in the Persian Gulf waters.”
“Any presence of the Zionist regime in the Persian Gulf waters is illegal, as it may result in war and confrontation in the region,” Tangsiri warned.
Tangsiri alleged that the US and UK are responsible for the situation in the Persian Gulf, mostly by fabricating the various scenarios that they use as justification for their deployments.
Admiral Tangsiri said the IRGC Navy is responsible for ensuring the security of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, and “we don’t need the presence of foreigners.”
“The security of Persian Gulf is among Iran’s priorities, and we believe Iran’s shipping lanes must remain international,” he added.
“Iran is the flag-bearer of security in the Persian Gulf, but that hinges on the export of our oil and the country’s ability to use the region. We’ll ensure the security of Persian Gulf as long as our own security is ensured,” the Admiral concluded.
Finally, Tangsiri warned that any vessel that Iran wishes to seize in the Persian Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz could easily be seized and the US or UK couldn’t impede it. This goes in line with a recent video released of Iranian speed boats chasing a warship in the Persian Gulf.
Around the same time, Iran unveiled a new air defense system – the Khorad 15, according to ISNA.
“The ‘Khordad 15’ air defense system is a symbol of self –esteem, manufactured by Iranian experts,” Defense Minister Amir Hatami said, “It’s an important defensive and advanced achievement, based on today’s world technology.”
According to the defense minister, the system is capable of detecting fighter jets and combat drones at the distance of 150 kilometers and tracking them within 120 kilometers.
The advanced system can also detect stealth targets up to 85 kilometers away and engage and destroy them within 45 kilometers.
“Khordad 15” is designed to simultaneously detect, intercept and shoot six targets, it can also be prepared for action in less than five minutes, the defense minister noted.
This came after on August 7th, Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said that the country would take part in the US-led Naval mission to ensure security in the Persian Gulf. It is likely that Tel’Aviv would only take part by providing intelligence and “other” activities, but will not deploy ships.
On August 9th, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Seyyed Abbas Mousavi warned that the country 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. The US regime and the illegitimate Zionist regime are responsible for all the consequences of this dangerous move.
On August 8th, Defense Minister Amir Hatami warned that a US-led naval mission would only “increase insecurity” and that Israeli involvement would have “disastrous consequences.”
“The military coalition that America is seeking to form with the excuse of securing maritime transport will only increase insecurity in the region,” he said.
Meanwhile, the US Maritime Administration issued an advisory warning that vessels may encounter GPS jamming, misleading communications and other harassment from Iranian forces in the Persian Gulf region.
Tensions in the region pose serious threats to commercial vessels, MARAD warned. Vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman may encounter “GPS interference, bridge-to-bridge communications spoofing, and/or other communications jamming with little to no warning.”
Guidance in case of Iranian “aggression” were also posted, for US commercial vessels to follow on and possibly set the situation up one false flag away from war.
- Ensure AIS is transmitting at all times
- Monitor VHF Channel 16
- Register with both the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Office (UKMTO) and U.S. Fifth Fleet Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping (NCAGS) Watch when entering the Indian Ocean Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA)
- Provide detailed transit plans for the Strait of Hormuz (SoH) and Persian Gulf (PG) to UKMTO and U.S. Fifth Fleet NCAGS
- In the event of any incident or suspicious activity, call UKMTO or Fifth Fleet and activate the SSAS
- Answer all VHF calls from coalition navies
- Report any calls from a source falsely claiming to be a U.S. or coalition naval vessel to Fifth Fleet.
- If hailed by Iranian forces, U.S. flag commercial vessels should affirm that they are proceeding in accordance with international law and notify Fifth Fleet
- If Iranian forces seek to board a U.S. flag commercial vessel, the ship’s Master should, if the safety of the ship and crew would not be compromised, decline permission to board and immediately notify Fifth Fleet
- If Iranian forces board a U.S. flagged commercial vessel, the crew should not forcibly resist the boarding party. Refraining from forcible resistance does not imply consent or agreement to that boarding.
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I’m genuinely curious what’s the purpose of burka on trucks?
At a guess maybe to keep heat out of the cabin area.
@Garga @AJ Thanks, sounds plausible, but isn’t a bit lazy to not uncover them for few mins for the photo?
Perhaps it’s to conceal their technology, isn’t this the homegrown Iranian air defense system?
So the cabins and wheels are technology secret but not the radar and the missile silos? Could the rubber that they want to protect from the heat but from based on their clothes there is not so hot… I suspect they are Mercedes trucks :)
Oh it is HOT!! Many days in June, July and early August in Tehran the temperature goes 40 (>100F if you’re that person) and beyond. In Khuzestan province it reached 50 (>120F) and let’s not talk about the hottest place on earth, located on the southern Khorasan province with it’s very cold nights.
If you leave your car in the sun just for 10 minutes (happens a lot, since sun is right overhead) and your car has a dark colour and worse, a dark interior, you’ll experience first hand what a barbecued butt would feel. Stationary tires tend to develop cracks in the sun and cars with very well sealed cabin may shatter a window if they are fully closed.
As these are not military trucks or specifically designed for this purpose, the distance between the cab and the launcher is not optimized (or long enough) and the missile’s hot exhaust may damage the cab.
They are military men, they have to wear a full uniform. That particular truck is EVECO. But Mercedes, Volvo and Scania are also used. Whatever that works and helps to keep the costs reasonable. Military budget is not high and for the next year, they decreased it (%27 less, after last year’s increase).
Sounds plausible. Thanks
Since they also put gloves and socks on the trucks’ hands and feet, and the cloths are the same colour as the surroundings, I’d say it has something to do first with camouflage and second protection of the rubber from the heat, both sun and the fired missile.
Or maybe Iranians are just overly zealous they adopted an Arabic tradition for their trucks?
Could get messy
Do not scare Brittish Navy too much! They have reputation to save of ex Imperial colonial Super Power. It is difficult task they have. They must look dangerous, but they are not… So go easy on them. With their 2 ships they are harmless yet they must posture as danger and “deter” everybody from Iran to Russia to China to North Korea.
At least Iran’s statement was a straightforward warning and didn’t have any unnecessary, inflammatory language (Tel Aviv will burn).
Kabuki theater. Israel won’t lift a finger patrolling a the Gulf, too busy in studio producing their next big Intelligence Coup on Iran’s alleged weapons program. Israel doesn’t get any oil, even indirectly from the Gulf States so they don’t have a dog in this fight but I suppose Iran has to cover all of the bases.
Iran is right, only the local states should have a coast guard presence to protect ships, that would be maximum de-escalation but that would be too rational.
So where do they get their oil from?
Some from Kazakhstan (shipped via Caspian sea to Azerbaijan), added to more from Azerbaijan (shipped trough Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, heavily pushed to be constructed by the US) and from Ceyhan (Turkey) by ship. Less from Russia.
Some comes from US or Canada, not to mention the oil stolen by ISIS and Kurds which magically finds it’s way into Israel (at less than half the actual price of course) via … Turkey. Plus wherever there’s a war going on or oil can be looted, like Angola, Nigeria and South Sudan. Why do you think Sudan got disintegrated?
Thank you for that .I have heard of Sudan and Israel being tied for this reason but still don’t believe it. Are most oil concessions in South Sudan now Israeli or something?
South Sudan announced independence on July 9th, 2011, Israel recognized it on 10th, faster than the UN which did it on 13th. On 15th they were on “full diplomatic relationship”. Remember that Sudan had no relationship with Israel whatsoever. Sudanese People’s Liberation Army wanted to have security and economic relationship with Israel when they were being trained in Israel since before the break up.
It’s not just oil, they also “acquired” gold-mining rights too. Pulled it out from the mouth of Britain. Oh, oh, and … Water…
Haha. Brits are just as stupid as the French and Aussies were in Libya and Iraq! All three helped the Yankers jn their incessant bullshit wars only for the first two to lose oil concessions in Libya and the Aussies ,profitable wheat and meat exports in Iraq! Hahah
We pay the Yanks to come and shear us to the point of nakedness!
What if that local country is doing the gps spoofing and hijacking the ships .
Israel is a pretty much a non country of hundred percent migrants that migrated from whole world with assistance from US and UK.
Israel has been built on a stolen land of Palestine taken from Britain on lease. Israel would never survive even one month without the charities and aids from US and UK. US and UK equally responsible for what is going nowadays on this Arab Muslims majority land called Palestine.