TEHRAN, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian navy commander said on Sunday that U.S. navy forces should leave regional waters, Tasnim news agency reported.

"The era of American free action in the region is over, and they (the U.S. navy forces) must leave the region gradually," Hossein Khanzadi said on the sidelines of a joint naval exercise with Russia and China, which is underway in the Gulf of Oman.

"We believe regional security does not require the presence of those (foreign) countries, and that regional countries themselves can ensure security together," he added.

Khanzadi urged regional states to join Iran in the efforts to ensure security as "maritime security definitely needs collective action."

On Friday, Russia, Iran and China began a four-day joint navy exercise in the Gulf of Oman.