An Iranian warship fires a missile during naval maneuvers dubbed Velayat 90 on the Sea of Oman, Iran, Dec. 30, 2011. (Xinhua/Stringer/Ali Mohammadi)
Iran vows to target the U.S. military vessels in the Gulf if they threaten Iran's security.
TEHRAN, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Iran will target the U.S. military vessels in the Gulf if they threaten Iran's security, the chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said Thursday, Tasnim news agency reported.
"We are fully determined and serious in defending our national security, maritime borders, maritime interests, maritime security and security of our forces at sea and any (wrong) move will trigger our decisive, effective and prompt response," Hossein Salami said.
"We have ordered our military units at sea that if a vessel or military unit of the navy of the U.S.' terrorist military seeks to threaten the security of our civilian ships or combat vessels, they should target that vessel or military unit," he added.
He also accused the U.S. "unprofessional and hazardous" behavior of causing the IRGC Navy vessels' confrontation with U.S. vessels last week.
Earlier, the U.S. Navy said in a statement that 11 military vessels of the IRGC conducted "dangerous and provocative actions" near U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships in international waters in the Gulf on April 15.
The IRGC called for full withdrawal of all American forces from the Gulf and West Asia, saying the "illegal" presence of U.S. forces in the region is the source of insecurity in the West Asia. ■
