Iran Says It Shooed Off US Warship In Sea of Oman

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An Iranian missile boat confronted a US warship approaching a stricken Iranian dhow in the Gulf and warned it to keep away.

The US denies direct contact with Iranian forces.

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“The dhow, Shams (Sun), had set sail from the port city of Jask in southeastern Iran to test its motor. Forty-five miles (72 kilometers) into the sea, the vessel’s motor started to malfunction, prompting the sailors to alert the Iranian Navy,” it said.

The Navy dispatched Falakhan (Sling) missile boat to the vessel’s rescue, which towed the broken-down dhow to the port but before that, the US destroyer was seen approaching the site, it said.

“The American warship left the area with a warning and the announcement of the Falakhan missile boat’s timely presence in the region,” the statement said.

Iran’s naval patrols and US warships have been engaged in a series of face-offs in the Persian Gulf in recent months, where Washington has accused Iranian vessels of “harassing” American warships.

Iranian military commanders say while their units continue routine patrols, US naval units have changed their navigational patterns since President Donald Trump came into office, often engaging in provocative maneuvers near Iran’s vessels.

The Islamic Republic has repeatedly warned that any act of transgression into Iran’s territorial waters would be met with an immediate and befitting response.

In July, the Islamic Republic of Iran Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Navy said US naval buildup and invasive maneuvers targeting Iranian interests in the waters had been triggered by “fear.”

“The Persian Gulf belongs to the Islamic Republic and regional Muslim countries and the presence of US forces, as a foreign country in this region, is defensive and out of fear,” said IRGC Navy chief Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi.