Any Israeli involvement in the US-led naval operation into the Strait of Hormuz would have "disastrous consequences" for the region, the Iranian Defense Ministry warned Thursday.
In a discussion with defense officials from Qatar, Kuwait, and Oman, Defense Minister Amir Hatami reportedly added that the "military coalition that America is seeking to form with the excuse of securing maritime transport will only increase insecurity in the region."
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
The warning comes as Washington ramps up pressure on the Islamic republic following a string of incidents that have stirred tensions in the Gulf, including Tehran's capture of a UK oil tanker last month and the downing of a US drone over the Strait of Hormuz earlier in the summer.
On Wednesday, the US Transportation Department's Maritime Administration issued a specific warning about the threat Iran poses in the Gulf as the Islamic republic is allegedly interfering with GPS signals in the Strait of Hormuz. The US officials cited reports of "unknown entities falsely claiming to be US or coalition warships," trying to seize the vessels by having them directed into Iranian waters.
On Tuesday, Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz reportedly told officials that Jerusalem was assisting a US-led mission designed to protect ships traveling along the narrow sea passage.
Katz told a closed-door session of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that the country was currently participating in the mission by providing intelligence, as well as taking part in other unspecified operations in the Gulf.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has urged the US to reopen dialogue with the Tehran, saying that "peace with Iran is the mother of all peace" and "war with Iran is the mother of all wars" as he defended the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.
This article was originally published by i24NEWS.
