Iran slams US military presence in Middle East as threat to stability

Tehran, Nov 4: Iran condemned the US military presence in the Middle East on Monday, calling it a threat to regional stability amid rising tensions following recent Israeli strikes on Iranian soil.

“The US presence in the region undermines regional stability,” Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told reporters in Tehran at his weekly press conference, responding to Washington’s latest military build-up that includes the deployment of B-52 bombers.

The US Central Command confirmed on Saturday that B-52 bombers had arrived in the Middle East. It is the first time that B-52s have deployed to a base in the region since 2019 and widely seen as deterrence against potential Iranian retaliation for Israeli airstrikes on its territory last month.

Baghaei warned that increased US military presence would not “affect Iran’s resolve and determination to defend itself,” while urging regional countries to cooperate on security matters without foreign intervention.

“While the region faces the presence of foreign troops, especially those of the United States, it will continue to suffer from problems and tension,” he said, Xinhua news agency reported.

The deployment follows Washington’s earlier decision to send a Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) anti-missile system to Israel, further heightening regional tensions.

The military build-up comes after Israel announced on October 26 that it had conducted “precise and targeted” airstrikes on Iranian targets, which Tehran said caused only “limited damage.”