TEHRAN - Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, said on Sunday that Iran has established security in the Persian Gulf and therefore extra-regional fleets have dramatically reduced their presence in this highly strategic waterway.

"The significant reduction of extra-regional fleets in the Persian Gulf indicates the lasting security that the Islamic Republic of Iran has established in the region," Bagheri said in an interview with official news agency IRNA before visiting an airbase in the southern city of Bushehr. 

“The region's complete security, which has been maintained by 24-hour aircraft and naval patrols, shows the Islamic Republic of Iran's accountability,” he noted. 

“Under the ensured security in the Persian Gulf, we are witnessing the daily activities of people and coastal residents in the highly strategic province of Bushehr in the field of maritime trade and fishing, as well as activities in the field of oil and gas,” the military chief said, pointing to the benefits for residents in the Persian Gulf region.

Bagheri further stated that all military and law enforcement forces, including the Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) are fully prepared to guard national borders.

Iranian military and political authorities have repeatedly said that the security of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz is a "redline" and that the Islamic Republic will never compromise on protecting the nation's interests and resources.

They have maintained that there is no need for foreign military presence in the Persian Gulf and that the security should be established by littoral states.

Iranian authorities have also warned surrounding countries about the dangers of allowing Tel Aviv to find a foothold in the region by describing Israel's disruptive operations as the primary cause of instability in the West Asia region.

“U.S. attempts to establish unipolar system failed” 

During a meeting on Saturday with Colonel General Alexander Fomin, the Russian deputy defense minister, General Bagheri said the U.S. has realized that its unilateral strategy to establish a unipolar system has not been effective.

Bagheri also emphasized the importance of strengthening Tehran-Moscow collaboration on bilateral, regional, and global issues while defending both nations' sovereign interests and preserving regional peace and security.

He added that the ongoing talks between the two parties are necessary to reach that objective.

To attend the Iran-Russia joint committee on military cooperation, Fomin led a high-ranking military delegation that landed in Tehran on Saturday.