The presence of American ships in the Persian Gulf is contributing to the destabilization of the region, the United States should leave the area in peacetime, the Iranian army said today. Referring to the Iranian state agency IRNA, Reuters reported. Tehran continues to insist on defending its territories if necessary.

"The only way to bring peace and stability to the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman is through the departure of US security forces and their allies," the military said in a statement. According to security forces, Iran "has never been and never will be" a source of tension in the region.

"Any ... provocation will require a strong response from the Iranian armed forces; the aggressors, especially the United States, will have to deal with the consequences in that case," the military added.

Two weeks ago, the already strained relations between Iran and the United States intensified again, when the US Navy reported on "risky maneuvers" of Iranian ships in the Persian Gulf. However, the Iranian defense minister denied that his country's vessels were threatened by the American ones. US President Donald Trump subsequently ordered the destruction of Iranian ships in the event that they would harass US vessels. Iran has responded with a similar challenge.

Relations between Iran and the United States have been strained for more than 40 years, but deteriorated significantly in 2018, when Washington withdrew from the 2015 international agreement on Iran's nuclear program and imposed severe sanctions on Tehran. There were several incidents in the Persian Gulf last summer, where the United States strengthened its military presence this year.

The two countries found themselves on the brink of open conflict earlier this year after the United States killed Iranian General Qasem Solejmani, one of the Islamic Republic's top officials, in Iraq. A few days later, Iran fired a number of rockets at bases in Iraq, where US troops are operating. The United States later admitted that the attack injured dozens of American soldiers.