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Pentagon blasts ‘unprofessional’ Iranian navy

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Monday (March 6) blasted the “unprofessional” behaviour of the Iranian navy after two separate incidents in the Strait of Hormuz last week.

A member of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards chants slogans after attacking a naval vessel during a military drill in the Strait of Hormuz in southern Iran on Feb 25, 2015. Photo: AFP

A member of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards chants slogans after attacking a naval vessel during a military drill in the Strait of Hormuz in southern Iran on Feb 25, 2015. Photo: AFP

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WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Monday (March 6) blasted the “unprofessional” behaviour of the Iranian navy after two separate incidents in the Strait of Hormuz last week.

According to the Pentagon, an Iranian frigate on Thursday came within 150 yards (137m) of the civilian-crewed USNS Invincible.

Then on Saturday, a number of small assault craft came within 350 yards of the Invincible and other ships.

“This was assessed to be a combination of unsafe or unprofessional behaviour,” Pentagon spokesman Navy Captain Jeff Davis said.

In both cases, the US ship had to change course to avoid any collision, he added.

“It’s concerning because it can result in a miscalculation or an accidental provocation that we don’t want,” Mr Davis said, noting that Iranian actions in the crowded sea had actually been improving of late.

The Pentagon has previously voiced concern over a string of high-profile incidents in waters off Iran, where the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) frequently conducts risky manoeuvres around US vessels, including some where the Americans have had to fire warning shots.

The USNS Invincible is equipped with powerful radar equipment that can follow ballistic missile trajectories.

The prefix “USNS” means the ship belongs to the US Navy but is unarmed or only lightly armed. AFP

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