US presence in Persian Gulf creating insecurity: Top military official

Tehran, Dec 30, IRNA - Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran said the presence of the United States in the Persian Gulf has nothing, but insecurity in the region Major General Mohammad Baqeri, after arriving at Bandar Abbas on Sunday, said at the airport, 'The departure of the US from Syria is a humiliating retreat of a country that was present without the consent of the people and the legitimate government.' He described this withdrawal as 'unimportant for defensive and security missions in the region' and said that wherever the Americans were present they caused insecurity and certainly their leaving of Syria and other parts of the region will lead to enhanced security and calm. The senior military official stated, 'In the Persian Gulf, this is the case, and the countries of the region themselves provide security, and the presence of the United States in the region is nothing but insecurity.' Major General Baqeri announced the purpose of his visit to Hormuzgan province to assess the status of the armed forces stationed in the province.