Iran has slammed a recent US move to create a coalition in the Persian Gulf, saying it will only exacerbate insecurity and instability across the world.
"History shows that American coalitions have always been nothing but misnomers, which have not only failed to create security but also caused more insecurity and instability in different parts of the world," Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi said on Saturday.
He added that the US needs to misuse the names of other countries to legitimize its unilateral measures, saying, “The US measure to conceal its objectives and ambitions behind the names of a few other countries shows [its] weakness and lack of international legitimacy.”
The Iranian spokesperson called on regional countries to rely on their own capacities and those of neighbors to ensure sustainable and inclusive security in the region.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran as the country with longest coastline in the Persian Gulf will vigorously keep protecting its economic and security interests, including security and safety of shipping in this body of water,” Mousavi pointed out.
His remarks came after the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), a US-led military coalition in the Persian Gulf, officially launched its operations on Thursday supposedly seeking to protect shipping lanes near Iranian territorial waters.
The US Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain announced that the IMSC, formerly known as Operational Sentinel, had opened its command center in the country.
The development comes nearly five months after Washington announced that it was seeking to form a "multinational maritime effort" in response to a series of mysterious explosions targeting vessels in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman earlier this year.
The US and Saudi Arabia were quick to blame Iran for the incidents without providing conclusive evidence.
Washington announced a deployment of 1,000 additional troops in the region following the attacks.
Iran has roundly rejected the accusations, emphasizing its commitment to regional maritime security and its importance in safeguarding international trade.
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