MINA SULMAN, (Bahrain), April 25: The commander US Naval Forces Central Command has said that America has no plans to use Pakistan against Iran.

Talking to a group of visiting reporters based in Islamabad, Vice Admiral Patrick M. Walsh, who is also commander of the Combined Maritime Forces, dispelled the impression that the assumption of command of Coalition Task Force-150 by Pakistan had something to do with a possible US attack against Iran, saying the scope of the CTF did not cover the Persian Gulf.

He said the CTF-150 was responsible for conducting Maritime Security Operations in an area that includes the Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Arabian Sea, Red Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean.

He said the CTF-150 was meant to prevent attempts to destabilise the maritime environment. “Iran does not figure in it,” he remarked.

Admiral Walsh said that tension between the United States and Iran was of a political nature and had no link with maritime security operations.

Answering a question, he said Al Qaeda still posed a threat to maritime environment and added that maritime security operations would continue in the days ahead to obviate use of maritime environment by terrorists for launching attacks or transporting personnel, weapons or other materials.

He expressed the hope that assumption of CTF-150 command by Pakistan would help achieve the goal as Pakistan had the knowledge about the region and close contacts with the Gulf countries.

ISPR director-general Maj-Gen Shaukat Sultan also ruled out the possibility of Pakistan being used against Iran. “Pakistan would do whatever is in its national interest,” he emphasised.

He said Pakistan was opposed to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and would continue to support international community in the war on terror.

The commander of CTF-150, Rear Admiral Shahid Iqbal, said war against a country was something out of the scope of the task force. “Why would we annihilate our neighbour? It would be against our national interest,” he said. In reply to a question, Admiral Iqbal said he would hold the command of the task force for four months.