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A US warship is involved in tension when it meets an Iranian speedboat in the Strait of Hormuz. Photo/Illustration
The US Navy’s 5th Fleet, based in the Middle East, said three escort ships encountered an unsafe and unprofessional encounter when the USS Sirocco and USNS Choctaw County transited through the strait, the narrow mouth of the Arabian Gulf, on Monday.
The US Navy said one of Iran’s three Revolutionary Guards speedboats raced head-on at the Sirocco before changing course. The US Navy said the Sirocco also fired warning flares during the encounter.
A short video released by the US Navy shows the encounter as reported by Al Arabiya.
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Iran did not immediately acknowledge the incident in the strait, through which a fifth of all world oil trade passes.
The incident comes as tensions remain high in the Middle East region as the fate of Iran’s nuclear deal with world powers remains unclear as negotiations over the deal have stalled.
Meanwhile, Tehran’s atomic program of enriching uranium at levels closest to weapons levels continues.
Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington to revive the 2015 nuclear deal have stalled since March and Tehran has limited the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) ability to monitor Iran’s nuclear program after a row with the UN watchdog.