US State Department Confirms Persian Gulf Antimissile Defense System Development

U.S. State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell made a statement on [Aug. 9] that confirmed earlier reports that the United States will deploy an antimissile defense system to the Persian Gulf as part of a worldwide network.

According to Ventrell, the measures will serve to strengthen the partnership between America and its Persian Gulf allies. However, given the current political climate of the Gulf region, it is too simplistic to only discuss a “partnership.” The West’s military might and larger American interests speak for themselves.

The United States is planning to deploy early warning radars and rocket interceptors in the Gulf region, and there are also plans for a command center. U.S. naval ships equipped with the Aegis Combat System will be included in this system, reports RIA Novosti.

A day before Ventrell released his statement, the New York Times reported that the United States, along with a number of Arab countries, has begun work to “protect cities, oil refineries, pipelines and military bases from an Iranian attack.” The news source also reported that the Pentagon has already supplied several Gulf nations with weapons, equipment and other materials worth several million dollars.

Ventrell chose his words carefully when revealing details about the system’s deployment, but he did note that the initiative for missile defense in the Persian Gulf is by no means new and that it corresponds with America’s plans to build a global antimissile defense system.

Aleksandr Khromchikhin, Head of Analytics for the Institute of Political and Military Analysis in Moscow, gave an assessment of the activity in the Gulf region in an interview with Odnako.

“The anti-missile defense system is a clear move against Iran. There is no doubt about it. There is going to be a huge concentration of forces in the Persian Gulf. Given America’s geopolitical interests against Iran, the whole situation is completely logical. In my opinion, all countries involved in this system would not be opposed to starting a war in the region.”

Military expert Vladislav Shurygin also gave Odnako his take on the situation.

“First, you have to understand that the United States is a country that never says what it’s doing and never does what it says. With this in mind, its announcement that it is going to deploy an antimissile defense system in the Persian Gulf, ostensibly to defend against launched Iranian missiles, is actually an elaborate cover for the redistribution of power that has begun in the region. Though the United States is now occupied with Syria, it is clear that their second priority is Iran.

“Iran will not accept what is going on in their backyard; this will certainly create a powerful source of tension between the Gulf nation and the United States.

“Whether the new antimissile defense system will be effective or not is an open question. Since the system is designed for ballistic missiles, it requires at least some reliable protection from hits from conventional cruise missiles. In response to this problem, the United States will deploy not only ships equipped with Aegis, a sea-based antimissile defense system, but also other multifunctional vessels which could serve as cover.

“Ultimately, there will be a full deployment of U.S. troops in the Persian Gulf. This will be more than just a direct threat to Iran: It will become part of the force that will eventually change the region.”