Iran army chief says foreign powers must leave region

Iran’s army chief said on Saturday that foreign forces should leave the region, saying regional states are capable of maintaining security in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, state media reported.

“Peace, stability and security in the vital and strategic Strait of Hormuz are important for all nations of the region, including the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we are their guardians,” Major General Amir Hatami said at a naval ceremony in southern Iran.

He said Iran and its neighbors have lived and worked in the region for centuries, adding that “those who are not from this region and have no place here should leave.”

Hatami said any attempt to disrupt regional stability would “create disorder,” and that the countries bordering the Persian Gulf should share its benefits “under fair conditions.”

Iran adds repaired destroyer and floating base

The remarks came as Iran added the destroyer Sahand and the floating base Kordestan to its navy, in what the army described as a move to strengthen maritime power and technical self-reliance.

The Sahand, a domestically built Moudge-class frigate fitted with cruise missiles and radar-evading technology, capsized during repairs at the southern port of Bandar Abbas last year after water entered its ballast tanks. The Navy later refloated and restored it.

The Kordestan floating base is designed to serve as a mobile port supporting naval and non-naval units far from Iranian shores. Mehr news agency said it “can play an important role in supporting combat and logistics operations at sea.”

Hatami said Iran’s forces remain ready to respond to any threat. “Our forces will not wait for an enemy to attack,” he said. “We are ready to deliver a decisive and crushing response wherever our national interests require.”