Iran says Israel’s integration into the US Central Command (CENTCOM) and its participation in joint military drills with regional countries constitute a great threat to the Middle East.

Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri made the remarks on Monday during a meeting with his Pakistani counterpart Lieutenant General Nadim Reza Nishan, noting that “Iran will not tolerate such threats and will certainly respond to them.”

Describing Israel as a destabilizing force in the region, he said, “The regime, through the implementation of certain plots, seeks to forge relations with regional countries and achieve its interventionist goals.”

Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz said, “I have been leading for the past year together with my colleagues at the Pentagon and the [Biden] administration an extensive program to strengthen cooperation between Israel and the countries of the region, under American leadership and CENTCOM.” “Part of that vision is what I call MEAD, Middle East Air Defense, which we are building amid Iran’s attempts to hit the region’s countries with rockets, cruise missiles and UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones].”

Israel is improving relations with the Persian Gulf monarchies especially since the 2020 ‘normalization’ agreements with Bahrain and the UAE, arguing they face a common threat in Iran.

Seriously concerned about the growing ties, the Islamic Republic has repeatedly warned neighbors against allowing Israel to establish presence in the Persian Gulf.

Iran's IRGC Navy commander said earlier in June if for whatever reason someone allows “the number one enemy” into the Persian Gulf, it will create “chaos and instability” both for itself and for the region.