Measures taken to counter US missile shield in Persian Gulf: Iran cmdr.

“The Americans have for a long time harbored plans to provide a missile defense [system] for the Zionist regime [of Israel],” Commander of the Aerospace Division of Iran's Islamic Revolution's Guards Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Amir-Ali Hajizadeh said Monday.

He said while Iran is not concerned about the plan, it regrets that the financial resources of the regional countries should be funneled toward providing for the security of Israel.

“The US and Israel seek to establish security for Tel-Aviv with funds from Arab countries,” Hajizadeh said.

US officials have frequently said it is a US “priority” to help the Persian Gulf littoral states build “regional missile defense architecture.”

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on March 31 announced the idea of a missile defense shield in the six members of the [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

She proposed improved collaboration with the Persian Gulf Arab states on maritime security and missile defense to counter what she called “potential threats” from Iran.

Iranian officials have repeatedly stressed that the follows a completely defensive strategy and have pointed out that Iran is not recognized as an aggressor.