US Armed Forces Call Iranian Ship’s Close Encounter 'Unprofessional'

The handling of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) vessel in its close encounter with the US guided-missile destroyer Mahan was not professional, US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) said in a statement on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The comment comes in the wake of the reports by US media that said that the USS Mahan had to switch on the danger signal and change its course after having a close encounter with the Iranian military ship.

"The guided missile destroyer USS Mahan had an unprofessional interaction with an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) vessel while transiting the international waters of the Arabian Gulf, April 24," the statement said.

CENTCOM explained the Iranian vessel came within 1,100 yards of the Mahan and was "closing the distance despite the Mahan maneuvering to open the distance between the two vessels."

"Mahan made several attempts to contact the Iranian vessel by bridge-to-bridge radio, issuing warning messages and twice sounding the internationally recognized danger signal of five short blasts with the ship’s whistle, as well as deploying a flare to determine the Iranian vessel’s intentions," the statement said.

NAVCENT assessed this interaction as unprofessional due to the Iranian vessel closing the distance to the US ship in violation of the maritime "rules of the road," CENTCOM continued.

NAVCENT did not assess this interaction as unsafe in any way, the statement added.

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