‘US Seeks to Gain Control over Maritime Traffic in Persian Gulf’

The United States assumes that by implementing such a plot it can control Iran’s oil carrier ships in the Persian Gulf, Qassem Mohebali said in an interview with Entekhab.

British authorities claim Iranian boats attempted to impede a British oil tanker in the Persian Gulf but were driven off by the HMS Montrose warship. The British Ministry of Defence said the Iranian boats attempted to bring the BP-owned tanker to a halt as it was attempting to exit the Persian Gulf near the island of Abu Musa and pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) denied that its ships were involved in any type of confrontation with British ships in the Persian Gulf on July 11. The IRGC navy said its forces were conducting their normal routines.

“In the past few days, especially after the seizure of a giant Iranian oil tanker by Britain, some Iranian officials talked of retaliatory moves, and even Iranian foreign minister called it a piracy,” Mohebali added.

“Of course, the Americans are seeking to take control of the maritime traffic in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait,” he noted.

“Their recent plan is to allegedly maintain the security of the ships and their traffic with a fixed flag. Therefore, to advance this plan, they must claim that the Persian Gulf is insecure,” he said.

“In response to these US move, there are two political and political options. The field solution has a high risk for both sides and results in high costs for both countries. But the political solution could protect the security of the Persian Gulf while addressing the international community’s concern,” he added.