The U.S. Rejects IRGC's Claim About Change in Naval Forces' Behavior in the Persian Gulf

The United States Navy rejected the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claim regarding a change in the behavior of U.S. naval forces in the Persian Gulf, stating that its forces remain vigilant in the waters of the Gulf. Bill Urban, the commander of the U.S. Navy, responded on Monday, February 9, to comments made by an IRGC naval official, asserting that the U.S. has not changed its operations and will continue to be alert and aware. Hours before this statement, Ali Azmaei, the commander of the IRGC's fifth naval zone, claimed that the behavior of American patrol vessels in the Persian Gulf has changed, noting that they are showing more adherence to international regulations and avoiding approaching Iranian territorial waters. Iranian forces and U.S. ships have had multiple confrontations in the Persian Gulf in recent years. These encounters continued during Donald Trump's presidency, during which he threatened that if elected, he would target Iranian vessels that harassed U.S. ships. However, last week, U.S. military commanders announced that the confrontations between Iranian fast boats and U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf have ceased over the past five months. Meanwhile, Commander Bill Urban emphasized that although the number of Iranian encounters with U.S. vessels has decreased, the U.S. Navy remains concerned about the 'increasing number of Iranian drones.' Reports indicated that an Iranian drone approached within 30 meters of a U.S. Navy aircraft attempting to land on the deck of an aircraft carrier, forcing the American plane to maneuver to avoid a collision. According to the U.S. Navy, from January 2016 to August 2017, there was an average of 2.5 'unprofessional' and 'unsafe' encounters per month between the U.S. Navy and the Iranian Navy.