White House reacts to US Navy activities in Persian Gulf

EghtesadOnline: In response to the reports about an event in which a U.S. Navy destroyer fired three warning shots at Iranian patrol boats in the Persian Gulf, White House spokesman said, US destroyer fired shots at Iranian patrol boats to warn them.

News ID: ۷۷۳۰۸۹

12 January 2017

White House spokesman, Josh Earnest remarks came after Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said a US Navy destroyer fired warning shots at a group of four fast-attack boats of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard naval forces.

Josh Earnest said: “These types of actions are certainly concerning and certainly risk escalating tensions.”

According to ISNA, the incident is the latest of several confrontations between US and Iranian vessels around the Persian Gulf. In August, US defense officials claimed that Iranian naval patrol boats approached a US destroyer in Strait of Hormuz.

Iranian officials have already insisted that Iran always act according to international water laws and are responsible to protect its maritime border.