US military vessel traffic in Persian Gulf down by over 83%: Iranian commander

A commander with the aerial defense force in southern Iran says traffic by US military vessels in the Persian Gulf has declined by over 83 percent.

Nasrollah Houshmand said on Tuesday that the aerial defense of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces had taken great strides in the area of deterrence.

“There was a time when over 100 American vessels would sail in the Persian Gulf every day, which, as a result of monitoring and deterrent warnings, is now down to 17,” Houshmand said.

In recent weeks, Iranian naval forces have impounded three ships off the country’s southern coasts for breaching shipping safety law, with the US claiming that the moves are “illegal” and “endanger” shipping safety.

Iran dismisses the claims as baseless, saying the vessel seizures are meant to consolidate maritime regulations.

Earlier, the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy said Iranian naval forces had so far seized 35 ships for violating maritime law in the waters of the country’s southern coasts.

On Tuesday, a new commander was also named for the aerial defense on Kish Island, in the Persian Gulf.

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