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The US Navy has claimed that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) vessels came within 50 yards of its patrol ships in the Arabian Gulf.
This incident happened during the US Navy’s routine transit in the Strait of Hormuz, in Arabian Gulf on 20 June.
The US Navy’s expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Choctaw County (T-EPF 2) and patrol coastal ship USS Sirocco (PC 6) were carrying out routine transit in the international waters.
According to the US Navy, three of IRGCN fast inshore attack craft approached the US Navy’s two vessels in “an unsafe and unprofessional manner” during the routine transit.
In a press statement, US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) said: “One of the IRGCN vessels approached Sirocco head-on at a dangerously high speed and only altered course after the US patrol coastal ship issued audible warning signals to avoid collision.
“The Iranian vessel also came within 50 yards of the US Navy ship during the interaction, and Sirocco responded by deploying a warning flare.”
The entire interaction lasted for around an hour and ended after the Iranian vessels departed from the area.
Later, both the US Navy vessels continued to conduct the transit without any further incident.
The US Navy has also claimed that the latest IRGCN’s actions have violated the internationally set standards of safe and professional maritime behaviour, resulting in increased risk of miscalculation and collision.
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