Iranian soldiers patrol the Strait of Hormuz in southern Iran, on April 30, 2019. (Photo: Xinhua)

TEHRAN, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- The navy forces of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) have powerful presence in the Gulf, Commander of the IRGC's Navy Ali Reza Tangsiri said on Sunday.

The IRGC Navy checks and monitors foreign vessels entering the Gulf and questions them about their nationality, the type of the vessels and their destination, Tangsiri told Tasnim news agency.

He noted that monitoring foreign vessels in the Gulf is "an inalienable right" of Iran.

"We have the right to question the vessels because the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz is located in Iran's territorial waters," he added.

Iran has long disputed the presence of western military forces in the Gulf and insisted that the regional states are authorized to monitor the movements of the vessels and ensure their security.