October 30, 2020
The commander of Iran’s First Naval Zone, Adm. Abbas Gholamshahi, denouncing the “illegitimate US presence in the region,” says that if the US Navy violates any of Iran’s maritime boundaries it will draw a “crushing response” from his forces. The US accuses Iran of claiming maritime areas it is not granted by international law. Every year, to demonstrate the right of other counties to sail in those areas claimed by Iran, the United States sails through them at least once. Iran has never taken any actions against US ships for doing so. In fact, it never acknowledges to the Iranian public that the US challenges Iran’s claims each year.