Iran: We will protect our waters

Press TV
Thursday, Aug 14, 2008

The Iranian Navy is more capable than ever in protecting our waters in the Persian Gulf, says Iranian Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari.

The navy commander made his remarks after reports suggested that an armada of US and European naval vessels will be stationed in the Persian Gulf in an unprecedented build-up.

“We will protect our land and territorial waters with all our might,” said the Iranian commander.

Lt. Col. Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for the Pentagon, also commented on the issue Wednesday.

“We routinely rotate deployed naval forces in the USCENTCOM area of responsibility (one of which is the Persian Gulf),” he told The Jerusalem Post.

“As a matter of policy we do not discuss current or future ship’s movements,” he added.

His remarks were provoked by speculation prompted by the introduction of House Resolution 362, which “demands” that the US president make strenuous efforts, “prohibiting the export to Iran of all refined petroleum products; imposing stringent inspection requirements on all persons, vehicles, ships, planes, trains, and cargo entering or departing Iran”.

Supported by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the Resolution (and the Senate version Resolution 580) is considered by its critics as a means of imposing a naval blockade and restrict imports into the oil-rich country.

“This resolution, House Resolution 362 is a virtual war resolution. It is the declaration of tremendous sanctions, and boycotts and embargoes on the Iranians. It is very, very severe,” former presidential candidate Ron Paul has said.

“The fear is, they say, maybe some day, [Iran is] going to get a nuclear weapon, even though our own CIA’s National Intelligence Estimate has said that the Iranians have not been working on a nuclear weapon since 2003,” continued the 10-term congressman.

The bill, which was introduced at an AIPAC annual policy conference and is considered the lobby’s top legislative priority, has gained 261 co-sponsors in Congress and has been referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

In preparation for any possible act of aggression against the country, Iran has reportedly begun mass production of a high-tech naval weapons system capable of targeting any warship within a range of 300 kilometers from its shores.

“The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps recently tested a naval weapon which is definitely capable of sending any warship within a distance of 300 km to the bottom of the sea,” IRGC Commander Major General Mohammad-Ali Jafari said on August 4.

Lt. Col. Ryder, however, has cast doubt as to whether the reported deployment of the warships is aimed at the imposition of a naval blockade on Iran. “I can tell you that reports of an alleged naval blockade of Iran are false.”