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On April 27th, a US Navy warship fired warning shots at three small Iranian speedboats that came quite close to it and a Coast Guard cutter operating in international waters in the Persian Gulf.
IRGCN repeatedly crossed the bows of the U.S. vessels at an unnecessarily close range, requiring U.S. ships to make defensive maneuvers to avoid the risk of a possible collision.
Full Story: https://t.co/20CigAxRIm pic.twitter.com/beF2zg2wO0
— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) April 27, 2021
An earlier incident on April 2nd marked the first time in more than a year that Iranian vessels have harassed American ships in the area.
The April 27 incident occurred as three Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) speedboats approached the U.S. Navy patrol craft USS Firebolt and the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Baranoff operating in the northern Persian Gulf.
The three Iranian boats rapidly approached the two American ships at what a U.S. Navy spokesperson called “an unnecessarily close range, with unknown intent” coming quite close to both ships.
“The U.S. crews issued multiple warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio and loud-hailer devices, but the IRGCN vessels continued their close range maneuvers,” said Cmdr. Rebecca Rebarich, a spokesperson for the Navy’s 5th Fleet, which oversees U.S. Naval operations in the Middle East.
“The crew of Firebolt then fired warning shots and the IRGCN vessels moved away to a safe distance from the U.S. vessels,” she added.
Rebarich said that the actions of the three Iranian boats “increased the risk of miscalculation and/or collision” and did not follow the maritime “rules of the road.”
The April 2nd and 27th incidents were of different categories.
“We do not assess this is a new trend,” Rebarich said of both incidents. “We assess every interaction based on the facts and circumstances.”
She noted that in the April 2 incident, the IRGCN catamaran Harth 55 conducted “aggressive, unsafe, harassing maneuvers against our ships” while the intent of the three Iranian speed boats on April 27th was “unclear”.
“The U.S. crews issued multiple warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio, five short blasts from the ships’ horns, and while the Harth 55 responded to the bridge-to-bridge radio queries, they continued the unsafe maneuvers.
After approximately three hours of the U.S. issuing warnings and conducting defensive maneuvers, the IRGCN vessels maneuvered away from the U.S. ships and opened the distance between them.
The IRGCN’s actions were deemed unsafe and unprofessional. Their actions increased the risk of miscalculation and collision, were not in accordance with the internationally recognized Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) “rules of the road” or internationally recognized maritime customs, and were not in accordance with the obligation under international law to act with due regard for the safety of other vessels in the area.”
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It is no coincidence that IRGC boats are harassing American ships at the same time that renewed negotiations are underway on the nuclear deal. Exactly what Zarif said they did in the past, to thwart the 2015 negotiations.
IRGC was right in 2015, never trust an american, so they are probably right this time. Endless negotiation is a Israeli tactic.
Well, it is named Persian Gulf, not USA Gulf. What did they expect?
I’m sorry, but according to Tommy this is the Arabian NATO Gulf.
When I was on Bahrain, Sunnis called it the Arabian Gulf and Shia called it the Persian Gulf. You could often tell from the shop signs which of the two (Sunni or Shia) were running a particular business.
And don’t forget, the Sunnis INVADED Bahrain in about the 17th century when it was ALL Shia. I walked through the poorer areas of Manama where the Shia lived. You would be hard pressed to get a vehicle down those streets at the time (motorbike, yes). Don’t know about now.
Also there is an ocean called Indian.
What are Iranian boats doing In the Arabian NATO Gulf!?
Good one…
Yes, they should be in the Gulf of Mexico, shouldn’t they? LOL.
The Iranians only wanted to advise the American coast guard who had lost himself, there is no American coast in the Persian Gulf.
Iranian patrol boats are in danger of being rammed by incompetent steering…..C member the Indonesian cargo shie?
Won’t matter with the new unmanned Iranian versions.
The Yanks will be forced to leave when the Chinese carrier killer fleet arrives for an Iran visit in the Gulf.
Yankee GO HOME.
lol
Coast Guard is a lil bit far from U.S. territory, arent they…
Coast Guard cutter operating in international waters in the Persian Gulf
hmmm
This tells me the Yanks are short on ~assets~.
what the US is that broken it sends now Coast Guard ships???
yeah cheaper smaller, produces less CO²….but also less powerful………..the Iranians might have been scared to death by it………so impressive
LOL. I don’t think the unmanned Iranian speed boats will be scared. Pmsl.
Small Internet sites as South Front and Iranian speedboats represents a geo-political malign influence on American interests on an unprecedented level not seen since we invaded Grenada. These incidents and attacks on our freedom must and cannot not be underestimated enough!
Those rogue nations should get the fu** outta the Freedom Gulf also known as the american middle east coast. (Just how its taught in exceptional geography lessonz)
Lol only a fool would bring up Grenada what an embarrassment for the shiny light on the hill a full scale invasion which they of course screwed up to fight 600 mostly policemen.
Its a matter of respect man. In the old days, when an American was a strong man, all the people they stepped back, when an American passed by.
It was actually due to the over-use of aftershave.
hmm! You mean they held their nose don’t you, but those days are long gone like last years flowers as the empire burns and crashes..
Area Denial is a thang, Yanks. Get used ta it.
As an American in a US Tyranny occupied America, I hope China, Russian, and Iran send some of their navies to patrol and train in the Gulf of Mexico.
“Flip the script,” as it’s said.
But they wont.
Really? The Russians have sent SIGINT gathering vessels off the US coast.
“coast guard”, but for which coast
Coast Guard? Geez, that tub is a long way from home! LOL.
Iran now has unmanned versions of those small attack boats. Let’s see if the US aim is any better than Israel’s.