Iranian Warships Menace US Navy Ships in Gulf

Three fast-attack vessels belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp had an “unsafe and unprofessional” interaction with two ships from the US Navy as they made their way through the Strait of Hormuz. The Revolutionary Guard watercraft came within 50 yards of the patrol coastal ship USS Sirocco and the fast transport ship USNS Choctaw County at a “dangerously high speed,” according to the US Naval Forces Central Command.

One of the Revolutionary Guard vessels approached Sirocco “head-on” and only altered course after the ship issued audible warning signals to avoid collision. The Iranian vessel also came within 50 yards of the USNS Choctaw County during the interaction, and Sirocco responded by deploying a warning flare, the Navy said in a statement. The “full interaction” lasted for an hour, ending when the Revolutionary Guard vessels left the area.

The actions of the Revolutionary Guard watercraft “did not meet international standards of professional or safe maritime behavior, increasing the risk of miscalculation and collision,” the Navy said. “US naval forces remain vigilant and will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows while promoting regional maritime security.”

It is not the first time that Iranian vessels have menaced US ships in the Persian Gulf.