TEHRAN – A top Iranian commander has told reporters that the presence of foreign nuclear-powered sea-crafts in the Persian Gulf poses serious and deadly environmental threats.

The remarks were made by the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy, Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, when asked about Washington’s Sunday announcement on the deployment of a nuclear submarine in the Persian Gulf. 

"The use and presence of a nuclear-powered ship or submarine in the Persian Gulf, with a range of 250 kilometers, is very dangerous for the environment of the region. In this regard, we have repeatedly warned Islamic countries around the Persian Gulf that if something happens, the entire Persian Gulf may be threatened,” Tangsiri stated on Wednesday.

The commander stated that if the submarine suffers an incident of any sort, the Persian Gulf would be off limits to humans for at least 11 years. That means certain countries would have no drinking water, and won’t get to fish in the Persian Gulf either, according to the commander. 

"The presence of enemies in the Persian Gulf disrupts security and they constantly try to threaten the region's peace. Therefore, the Navy deals seriously with foreigners and disruptors of the security of the Persian Gulf because preserving the security of the Persian Gulf is a red line for the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps," The IRGC commander stressed. 

The top military official added that the U.S. seeks to create enmity between regional countries. 

Nuclear-powered submarines have a long history of accidents. Two U.S. naval nuclear submarines — USS Thresher and USS Scorpion — currently remain sitting at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Sunken nuclear submarine can have devastating effects for the environment as radionuclides could be released into the ocean. Radioactivity can also be released during normal operations and maintenance.
 
MHA