TEHRAN, August 19. /TASS/. The Iranian Armed Forces are closely monitoring the deployment of US forces in the Persian Gulf states and will regard any assistance to the US military as an act of aggression against Tehran, Chief of the General Staff of the Islamic Republic Ali Abdollahi stated.

"The presence of such a large number of [US] military aircraft, especially refueling planes, in regional bases is unlikely to be occurring without the knowledge of the host countries," his statement reads.

Abdolllahi warned that "any assistance or support provided to the aggressor US army" would be regarded by Tehran as complicity with US military forces.