Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Saturday that U.S. Navy ships came close to their vessels in the Gulf and shot flares.
The
USS Nimitz and an accompanying warship drew close to a rocket-bearing
Iranian vessel on Friday and sent out a helicopter near a number of
Guards vessels close to the Resalat oil and gas platform, the Guards
said in a statement published by their official news site Sepah News.
"The
Americans made a provocative and unprofessional move by issuing a
warning and shooting flares at vessels ...,” the statement said.
"Islam’s warriors, without paying attention to this unconventional and
unusual behaviour from the American vessels, continued their mission in
the area and the aircraft carrier and accompanying battleship left the
area."
A U.S. military statement said a U.S.
Navy helicopter saw several IRGC vessels approaching U.S forces at a
high rate of speed and deployed flares after it could not establish
communications with the boats.
The statement said the interaction was "safe and professional."
