Tehran, Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami has said that a recent US plan to establish a maritime coalition force for escorting ships would not bring security to the Gulf, Tasnim news agency reported.
The regional security is only guaranteed within the regional states’ cooperation, Hatami was quoted as saying by the news agency on Thursday.
He said security of the region is “a common concern of Iran and the Gulf neighbors, therefore, we believe that security must be provided by the regional countries who should enter constructive negotiations in this regard”, reported Xinhua.
“The military coalition plan that the United States wants to form under the pretext of providing shipping security will only further escalate insecurity in the region,” he noted.
Pointing to Israel’s willingness to join the US-led coalition, the Iranian Defence Minister said such a measure would be “extremely provocative and have disastrous consequences” for the region.
