Iran Not to Tolerate Foreign Military Deployment in Region

(FNA)- Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan underscored Tehran's policy of friendship and peace with neighbors, but meantime, said the country doesn’t tolerate the presence of the trans-regional troops in the region.

"Today, the Islamic Iran enjoys such a level of power and might that it can establish and ensure regional security while the regional states also receive this message from us that we never and under no conditions have an eye on their territories and resources," Dehqan told reporters.

He referred to the recent wargames staged by the Iranian Armed Forces across the country, and said, "The message of the drills was peace, friendship and security for the region."

"The message of these wargames is that the Islamic Iran is ready to defend its own and the region's security, doesn’t feel any enmity towards the neighboring states and doesn’t bear the presence of the aliens in the region under any conditions," Dehqan said.

He underlined that regional nations should protect and ensure their own security within the framework of a regional coalition and shouldn’t tolerate the presence of the foreigners and those who cause insecurity.

His remarks came after the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy ended massive wargames, codenamed Payambar-e Azam 9 (The Great Prophet 9), in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz on Friday.

Speaking to reporters in the Southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Friday, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi said that the IRGC's massive wargames ended after three days in Southern Iran after testing a strategic weapon.

"This new weapon plays a determining role in increasing Iran's naval power to confront the threats, specially by the US, against the Islamic Revolution," he said.

Different IRGC Navy vessels were used in the exercises that started in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday.

During the wargames, a mock aircraft carrier was destroyed by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps missiles on Wednesday.

The model was built in real size and came under attack and was destroyed by missiles and rockets fired from tens of IRGC speedboats.

Also a number of the IRGC cruise and two ballistic missiles were fired at the mock US aircraft carrier.

Also during the wargames, a mobile naval target was destroyed by Fateh 110 and Zelzal missiles on a deserted island 270km away from the wargames zone.

The IRGC also fired its high precision capability missiles at a carrier during the Payambar-e Azam 9 wargames.

During the first moments of the second stage of the drills, enemy drones were also hit and destroyed by Misaq shoulder-launched missiles and artilleries mounted on 100 IRGC's speedboats.

Also, tens of IRGC vessels conducted high-speed mine-laying operations in a short period of time to get ready for critical situations in times of possible threats.

Fadavi described Iran's "mine-laying" capability as "the most important concern of the Americans", and said, "We have the most advanced sea mines which cannot be imagined by the Americans."

In recent years, Iran has made great achievements in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing essential military equipment and systems.

Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived as a threat to any other country.

Iran's naval power has even been acknowledged by foes. In a Sep. 11, 2008 report, the Washington Institute for the Near East Policy said that in the two decades since the Iraqi imposed war on Iran, the Islamic Republic has excelled in naval capabilities and is able to wage unique asymmetric warfare against larger naval forces.

According to the report, Iran's Navy has been transformed into a highly motivated, well-equipped, and well-financed force and is effectively in control of the world's oil lifeline, the Strait of Hormuz.

Since November 2008, the Iranian Navy has also conducted anti-piracy missions in the Gulf of Aden and Bab el-Mandeb Strait to protect the country's cargo ships and oil tankers against pirates.