Head of Iranian Navy: We Watch All American Ships in Gulf

Iran observes all American ships in the Gulf and has an archive of images of their daily movements, the head of Iran’s navy, Rear-Adm. Hossein Khanzadi, said on Tuesday, according to the website of Iran’s Young Journalists Club. “We observe all enemy ships, particularly [those of] America, point-by-point from their origin until the moment they enter the region,” Khanzadi said. “We have complete images and a large archive of the daily and moment-by-moment traffic of the coalition forces and America.” The Gulf has seen tensions in recent months as oil tankers belonging to American allies have been interfered with or seized, allegedly by the Islamic Republic. Tehran admits to having seized a British-flagged tanker last Friday, seemingly in response to the seizure of an Iranian vessel by the British Royal Marines off the coast of Gibraltar in early July, accusing Tehran of violating sanctions against Syria. Washington and Tehran nearly exchanged fire last month after Iran shot down a US drone, alleging it was in its airspace. However, US President Donald Trump, at the last minute, aborted a retaliatory strike.