Posted on 06/22/2022 3:41:57 AM PDT by Jyotishi
Dubai -- A US Navy warship fired a warning flare to wave off an Iranian Revolutionary Guard speedboat coming straight at it during a tense encounter in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, officials said Tuesday.
The incident on Monday involving the Guard and the Navy comes as tensions remain high over stalled negotiations over Iran's tattered nuclear deal with world powers and as Tehran enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels under decreasing international oversight.
Meanwhile, the United Nations' nuclear watchdog said Iran now plans to enrich uranium through a second set of advanced centrifuges at its underground Fordo facility amid the standoff.
The Cyclone-class patrol ship USS Sirocco and Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport USNS Choctaw County found themselves in the close encounter with three Iranian fast boats while coming through the Strait of Hormuz to enter the Persian Gulf, the Navy said.
In a video released by the Navy's Bahrain-based 5th Fleet, a high-speed Guard Boghammar is seen turning head-on toward the Sirocco. The Sirocco repeatedly blows its horn at the Boghammar, which turns away as it closes in. The flare shot can be heard, but not seen, as the Boghammar passes the Sirocco with the Iranian flag flying above it.
The Navy said the Boghammar came within 50 yards (45 metres) of the Sirocco, raising the risk of the vessels running into each other. The overall encounter lasted about an hour, the Navy said.
The Guard's "actions did not meet international standards of professional or safe maritime behaviour, increasing the risk of miscalculation and collision," the Navy said.
Iran did not immediately acknowledge the incident in the strategic waterway - a fifth of all traded oil passes through the strait.
The Navy separately told The Associated Press that this marked the second so-called “unsafe and unprofessional” incident it had with Iran in recent months.
On March 4, three Guard ships had a tense encounter for over two hours with Navy and US Coast Guard vessels as they travelled out of the Persian Gulf through the strait, the Navy said. In that incident, the Guard's catamaran Shahid Nazeri came within 25 yards (22 metres) of the USCGC Robert Goldman, the Navy said.
“The two US Coast Guard cutters issued multiple warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio and deployed warning flares,” the Navy said.
The Navy did not elaborate on why it did not announce the previous incident, particularly since a larger vessel came even closer to an American warship. However, that was just as a deal in Vienna between Iran and world powers on restoring the nuclear deal looked possible, before the talks broke down.
Iran and world powers agreed in 2015 to the nuclear deal, which saw Tehran drastically limit its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. In 2018, then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from the accord, raising tensions across the wider Middle East and sparking a series of attacks and incidents.
Talks in Vienna about reviving the deal have been on a “pause” since March. Since the deal's collapse, Iran has been running advanced centrifuges and rapidly growing stockpile of enriched uranium. Earlier this month as well, Iran removed 27 surveillance cameras of the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency. The agency's head warned it could deal a “fatal blow” to the nuclear deal.
On Tuesday, the IAEA said its inspectors verified Iran was preparing to enrich uranium through a new cascade of 166 advanced IR-6 centrifuges at its underground Fordo facility. Already, Iran has one cascade of IR-6s operating at Fordo, near the holy Shiite city of Qom, some 90 km (55 miles) southwest of Tehran. They enrich up to 20% purity.
The IAEA said Iran has not told it yet the level at which the second cascade will be enriching. Iran has yet to publicly acknowledge the new cascade.
The 2015 nuclear deal prohibited all enrichment at Fordo. Shielded by mountains, the facility is ringed by anti-aircraft guns and other fortifications. It is about the size of a football field, large enough to house 3,000 centrifuges, but small and hardened enough to lead US officials to suspect it had a military purpose when they exposed the site publicly in 2009.
Amid the tensions, Israel is suspected of carrying out a series of attacks in and outside of Iran targeting the country, including the killing of the architect of its one-time military nuclear program with a remote-controlled machine gun.
On Tuesday, the state-run IRNA news agency quoted the prosecutor of Iran's southeastern Sistan and Baluchistan province as alleging three people arrested in April there on suspicion of working with Israel's Mossad intelligence agency wanted to kill Iranian nuclear scientists.
It's unclear why the three would have been in Sistan and Baluchistan, which has no nuclear sites. The restive province that borders Afghanistan and Pakistan faces sporadic attacks from armed insurgent groups.
Start blowing them aggressive Iranian vessels out of the water a few times ought to send an appropriate message to Tehran but not going to happen with this idiotic and moronic US administration who is too busy training our military men and woman in CRT, proper pronouns, etc.
We are so fraked if we get into a hot war under this tarded ass Administration and its woke military leadership.....
Does anyone besides me think, the Iranian Boats are approaching US Navy Ships because they are screwing with the Navy, thinking they will not retaliate.
Basically cruising around these Iranian boats see a US Navy patrol boat and say, “Let’s screw with them” for fun and approach.
Things will get more and more serious, sinking a few of these Iranian patrol boats would stop the fun and games.
Why not screw with Americans?
They are chicken, they could not even manage Afghanistan!
The proper way to “manage” Afghanistan was massive carpet bombing, burning the poppy fields, and salting the land.
Tribal savages will never have a “Western style” society.
2) Did either or both the Sirocco and the Choctaw County
have the correct ratio of LBGT amongst the crew and
most importantly, amongst the officers?
Seen the new Top Gun?
“Seen the new Top Gun?”
No. Shall I?
Thanks for posting the link. It says there, “The Iranian fast-boat got as close as 50 yards to Sirocco, which responded by firing a warning flare.”
Well it is a really good movie no doubt. But I bring it up on this thread b/c the topic is exactly what the movie is... with us taking out the new [centrifuges].
Great movie saw it last night. It had been 10 years since i’d been to the theatre for a movie. Me and grandson ... it was $52 but it was good.
“On March 4, three Guard ships had a tense encounter for over two hours with Navy and US Coast Guard vessels as they travelled out of the Persian Gulf through the strait, the Navy said. In that incident, the Guard’s catamaran Shahid Nazeri came within 25 yards (22 metres) of the USCGC Robert Goldman, the Navy said.
“The two US Coast Guard cutters issued multiple warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio and deployed warning flares,” the Navy said.”
****************************************************
Help me with my ignorance. What is the U.S. Coast Guard doing in the Persian Gulf?
Help me with my ignorance. What is the U.S. Coast Guard doing in the Persian Gulf?
EXACTLY. So stupid.
They’re no longer DOT, but DHS.
It probably changed mission parameters.
Who knows? Maybe they’re getting real close hoping they’ll get a glimpse of the trans-admiral? I am sure the Iranians are bored and looking for real entertainment!
” fired a warning flare” ... USS Sirocco Armament
(USN) 2 Mk38 chain guns
2 Mk19 grenade launchers
2 .50 (12.7 mm) machine guns
6 Stinger missiles
None of these weapons were operational? I was in the Army, so I know nothing about how the Navy works, but I was under the impression that the Captain of a vessel has the responsibility to defend the vessel without consulting higher command.
Thanks for the movie recommendation. They are rare these days.k
If Iran pops a Nuke - planes will immediately fly from Islamabad to Jeddah brining the Nuclear weapons that the Saudis have already purchase from Pakistan.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.