TEHRAN- The commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has vowed to decisively “protect and safeguard” the Persian Gulf and its resources, and urged the Israeli regime and the United States to vacate the vital waterway at once.

Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri made the comments on Saturday, the date marking National Persian Gulf Day.

“The Persian Gulf is our home. We will resolutely protect and safeguard the Persian Gulf and its resources. We will not allow any act of aggression against its resources,” he said.

Additionally, Tangsiri stated that “the illegitimate presence of the aggressive United States and the child-killing Israeli regime in this region has endangered the stability and security of the Persian Gulf,” urging Washington and Tel Aviv to leave the region as soon as possible “so that this sensitive region becomes safer.”

The top commander went on to say that the Persian Gulf is home to some of Iran’s most important maritime boundaries and that the country’s geopolitics and foreign relations have historically been impacted by the body of water.

Tangsiri further cautioned that the natural resources and marine life of the Persian Gulf are seriously threatened by the presence of foreign naval vessels.

“The ecosystem of the Persian Gulf could be impacted for decades in the case of any incidents involving these warships, which are predominantly powered by nuclear energy,” he warned.

The Arvand River, which forms the border between Iran and Iraq, and the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean, are the two boundaries of the Persian Gulf, which is around 251,000 square kilometers in size.

The inland sea is a trading route that connects West Asia to open seas.

Since the Achaemenid Empire was founded in what is now modern-day Iran, it has been referred to as “Persian” by historians and ancient writings.

Although historical records indicate that the waterway has always been known as the “Persian Gulf,” some Arab states and their allies have frequently referred to the body of water as “the Arabian Gulf” in their references or just referred to it as “Gulf”.