A commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has dismissed the U.S. presence in the Persian Gulf, describing American aircraft carriers as “scrap Iron.”
ILNA reports that Brigadier Hossein Salami, the deputy head of the IRGC, told a gathering in Mashhad on Tuesday that: “The guards of the Islamic revolution have no fear of the size of aircraft carriers or the roar of the U.S. jets and cross-regional enemies, and all of this equipment is nothing more that scrap iron to them.”
Salami addressed the IRGC navy commanders, saying: “You are the only ones that move with power and determination within 10 meters of U.S. battleships, raising the flag of Islam, and they respect this authority and magnificence.”
The United States has increased its military presence in the Persian Gulf in the past year.
In response to harsh sanctions on its oil exports, some Iranian officials have threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway that sees the passage of 20 percent of the world oil supply.
According to USA Today, the Pentagon has sent minesweepers, warships and robotic mini-subs to ensure the strait remains open.
The report indicates that the Stennis “arrives in August, raising the number of American aircraft carriers in waters off Iran to four, including the USS Enterprise and the USS Abraham Lincoln, with the French Charles de Gaulle due soon to make up a fifth.”
The U.S. says its military presence in the region is based on its commitment to the stability and security of the region.
Iran says the U.S. presence in the Persian Gulf will “disturb the security of the Middle East.”
