The commander of Iran's army ground forces denounced a U.S. proposed plan to establish a missile shield in the Persian Gulf, local satellite Press TV reported on Thursday.

Commander Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan said the plan, aimed at countering alleged threats from Iran, will provide Washington with a pretext to maintain its "unlawful" presence in the region, according to the report.

On March 31, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton held talks in Saudi Arabia about setting up the shield system.

Addressing a Gulf-U.S. security forum in Saudi capital Riyadh, Clinton said that Washington is committed to the security of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that it deems as its allies in the region.

Washington's unilateral policies and its "blatant and hidden" interference in different parts of the world have provoked a crisis, Pourdastan was quoted as saying.

The U.S. attempts to spread Iranophobia in the region aim to support its large arms sales and military presence in the region, said the Iranian commander.

Iran plays a constructive role in establishing security in the region and the regional countries are fully capable of safeguarding their interests without resorting to foreign assistance, he added.

Earlier this month, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi warned its southern neighbors against the missile shield plan.

Also, Turkey's decision to deploy U.S. radar in its soil as part of a Europe-wide missile defense system has angered Iran, prompting some Iranian officials to threaten Turkey with attacks.