A former American intelligence linguist says Iran has proved to be the “true power” in the Persian Gulf and is thus in the “best position” to ensure security in the strategic region.

In an interview with Press TV on Wednesday, Scott Rickard said the US fueled tensions in the region by sending striking forces into the Persian Gulf, while Iran “has shown incredible restraint” in the face of Washington’s provocations.

He said “Iran has really shown itself to be the true power in the Persian Gulf and showed the best diplomacy” despite enduring “tremendous amounts of threat by the United States’ armada.”

“Obviously, and it is in the best position to provide security in the Persian Gulf as well as through the Strait of Hormuz,” Rickard said.

He also touched on Washington’s failure to encourage the European countries to join a naval mission it is planning to build with the purported aim of protecting shipping lanes in the Persian Gulf.

Washington has accused Iran of having a role in a series of attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman, a claim Tehran has strongly rejected. Tehran has warned that such sabotage operations may be part of a general ploy to target Iran amid increasing regional tensions.

“Most of the European nations have basically refused to participate with the Americans in their aggressive nature in the [Persian] Gulf,” Rickard said. The United Kingdom, Bahrain and now Australia are the only three that have agreed.”

The American analyst also warned of the dangers of the Israeli regime’s potential participation in the US-led mission.

“Unfortunately, I should say, the Israelis have a submarine force that they purchased from the Germans. This can be widely dangerous given the fact that the Israelis, in their history, have been extremely behind false flags and actually creating scenarios to foment war,” he said.

Tel Aviv, he said, could carry out such false flag operation either covertly or in cooperation with the United States.

Israeli foreign minister Israel Katz has reportedly supported the US’s plan and said the regime was determined to stop “Iranian entrenchment” in the Middle East region and strengthen Tel Aviv’s relationship with the Persian Gulf countries.

Rickard further criticized the US policy of selling arms to the Middle Eastern countries, which Iran blames for turning the Persian Gulf region into a “tinderbox.”