208 days ago
208 days ago
"Like the arrogant powers that are present near our marine borders, we will also have a powerful presence close to American marine borders," the head of the Navy, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said, according to the official IRNA news agency.
Speaking at a ceremony marking the 31st anniversary of the start of the 1980-1988 war with Iraq, Sayyari gave no details of when such a deployment could happen or the number or type of vessels to be used.
The declaration comes just weeks after Turkey said it would host a NATO early warning radar system which will help spot missile threats from outside Europe, including potentially from Iran. The decision has angered Tehran which had enjoyed close relations with Ankara.
Turkey’s prime minister issued a stern warning Tuesday to Iran, chastising Tehran for supporting Syria’s crackdown on protesters and singling out the Islamic Republic as the only country that could keep Syria’s Bashar Assad in power.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Turkish reporters the key to the Syrian situation lies with Iran, and said his government would no longer allow weapons transfers to Damascus through its territory, Israel Radio reported.
This all comes a few months after Iran sent warships through the Suez canal, after the fall of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, the first time the Islamic Republic had deployed navy vessels in the Mediterranean.
Needless to say, Iran has become much more aggressive both in its rhetoric and its actions. It’s yet to be seen if, when, how and by whom Iran is quieted.
