IRGC: The Behavior of the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf Has Changed

A commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated on Monday, February 9, that the behavior of U.S. patrol vessels in the Persian Gulf has changed, and we are witnessing their increased attention to international regulations and avoidance of approaching our territorial waters. Rear Admiral Ali Azmaei, commander of the IRGC's Fifth Naval Zone, made these remarks a week after a U.S. military official claimed that Iranian military forces had ceased their 'harassment' of American vessels in the Persian Gulf. Iran and the U.S. accuse each other of violating international regulations in the Persian Gulf, a vital route for transporting Middle Eastern oil to global markets. Azmaei also noted that 'the implementation of regular exercises, establishing naval patrols, controlling and tracking, and developing intelligence awareness have been ongoing programs that will continue with authority.' In recent years, there have been numerous confrontations between the IRGC and the U.S. military in the Persian Gulf. Donald Trump, during his 2016 election campaign, warned that if he won, Iranian harassing boats would be targeted. However, on July 25 of this year, an Iranian fast boat approached within 140 meters of an American military ship, which had to leave the area after warning shots were fired. This was the first confrontation between Iranian vessels and U.S. ships during Trump's presidency. In July of this year, an Iranian drone came within 30 meters of a U.S. Navy aircraft intending to land on the deck of an aircraft carrier, forcing the aircraft to maneuver to avoid a collision with the drone 'Qom-1.' U.S. officials have repeatedly described the actions of IRGC vessels as 'unprofessional' and 'dangerous,' and White House officials have warned of the 'risk of miscalculation' arising from these confrontations. Reports from some American media, including Fox News, citing Pentagon statistics, indicate that the number of confrontations between Iranian and American vessels in the Persian Gulf nearly doubled in the first half of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015. However, as U.S. military officials announced on January 25, the confrontations between Iranian fast boats and the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf have ceased in the past five months.