The United States says Iranian IRGC ships approached U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships on Monday evening.
The US Navy said it fired warning shots at Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ships in the Gulf, accusing IRGC ships of approaching US ships in international waters.
In one declaration On Tuesday, the U.S. Fifth Fleet said three IRGC ships approached a U.S. Navy patrol vessel and a U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat on Monday evening.
“US crews issued multiple warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio and hacks, but IRGCN ships continued to maneuver at close range,” the statement said.
“The crew of [US navy patrol ship] Firebolt then fired warning shots, and the IRGCN ships moved away to a safe distance from the US ships.
It’s the second meeting between US and Iranian naval forces in Gulf waters this month, after about a year without any such incidents.
Earlier this week, the US Navy released footage dated April 2 showing a ship ordered by the IRGC cut off in front of USCGC Monomoy, causing the US Coast Guard vessel to come to a screeching halt as its engine smoked.
Iran did not immediately recognize the meeting, which resulted in no injuries or damage.
The Iranian rapid coastal attack craft closest to the US ships was 204 feet (68 yards) during the incident on Monday night.
Iran and the United States are engaged in indirect discussions in progress for a possible return to the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal.
Former US President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the landmark 2018 deal in favor of a “maximum pressure” strategy against Tehran, which has heightened tensions between the two nations.
US President Joe Biden had promised renewed diplomacy with Iran, and world powers hope the two countries will fully comply with the agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Earlier on Tuesday, the chief of US forces in the Middle East said the US military was careful not to let incidents with the IRGC navy turn into a cyclical provocation, although he did not specifically talked about Monday’s interaction.
“The activities that we typically see from the IRGC navy are not necessarily activities led by the Supreme Leader or the Iranian state, rather irresponsible actions by local commanders on the scene,” said Naval General Kenneth McKenzie. , head of the American central command.