USS Nitze shot warning flares and whistles at four Iranian vessels before having to change course in ‘unsafe and unprofessional’ encounter, US official says

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Four Iranian military vessels sped close to a US navy guided missile destroyer with their weapons uncovered in the Strait of Hormuz in an “unsafe and unprofessional” encounter, according to a US defense official.

The USS Nitze shot warning flares, sounded its whistles and attempted unsuccessfully to communicate with the Iranian boats during Tuesday’s incident, the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

The vessels harassed the destroyer by “conducting a high-speed intercept and closing within a short distance of Nitze, despite repeated warnings”, the official said.

IRGC, the Islamic Republic’s praetorian guard, is suspicious of US military activity near Iran’s borders and appears to be sticking to a familiar posture in the Gulf that predates last year’s nuclear accord between Iran and six world powers, including the United States.

The United States and other countries are concerned about Iran’s support for Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, its ballistic missile program, and its backing for Shia militias that have abused civilians in Iraq.

“The Iranian high rate of closure ... created a dangerous, harassing situation that could have led to further escalation, including additional defensive measures by Nitze,” the official said.

USS Nitze had to change course in order to distance itself from the Iranian vessels, the official said, adding that the incident could have led to a diplomatic protest, but the United States does not have diplomatic relations with Iran.

In January, 10 US sailors aboard two patrol craft were detained by the IRGC when they inadvertently entered Iranian territorial waters. They were released the next day after being held for about 15 hours.

The Gulf separates Iran from its regional rival Saudi Arabia and a US naval base in Bahrain.