Iran declares war if Israel is present in the Gulf

Commander of the Navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), General Ali Reza Tangsiri, warned on August 11 that any illegitimate Israeli presence in the Persian Gulf could cause a confrontation in the region and the responsibility for such consequences lies with the US and the UK.

Speaking to Lebanon's Al Mayadeen TV channel, Alireza Tangsiri said: "The US and Britain will be fully responsible for the illegal presence of Israeli military forces in the Persian Gulf waters. Any presence of the Israeli government in the Persian Gulf waters is illegal. It can lead to military conflict and confrontation in the region."

“Our commanders can seize the offending vessels at any time, even if they are accompanied by British and American forces,” added Tangsiri, who was among the Iranian officials hit with US sanctions on June 24. “By establishing an illegal alliance in the region, the US and Britain are trying to implement their own scenarios. The security of the Persian Gulf is one of Iran’s priorities and we believe that Iran’s shipping lanes must remain open to international access.”

Mr. Tangsiri stressed that the Iranian naval forces are responsible for ensuring the security of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf and do not need the presence of foreign forces. The stern warning from the Iranian Navy Commander came after reports that Israel has agreed to join the US-led international maritime coalition in the Persian Gulf, which Washington said is aimed at ensuring the safety of ships moving through the waterways in the region after a series of incidents of oil tanker seizures.

According to Ynet News, during a closed session of the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee (Israeli Parliament), Foreign Minister Israel Katz announced that Tel Aviv will provide intelligence support and "other unspecified areas" for the US-led coalition's operations, called Operation Sentinel./.