Pentagon Says No Recent Unsafe Interactions Between US, Iranian Vessels in Persian Gulf

The statement delivered by US Navy Central Command Public Affairs Officer Tim Hawkins contradicts recent Iranian media reports regarding Iranian vessels allegedly pursuing US speedboats in the Persian Gulf.

WASHINGTON, October 7 (Sputnik) - There have been no unsafe interactions recently between US and Iranian vessels in the Persian Gulf, US Navy Central Command Public Affairs Officer Tim Hawkins said on Thursday.

"There have been no recent unsafe or unprofessional interactions involving Iranian and US Navy vessels in the Arabian Gulf," Hawkins said.

The statement contradicts most recent Iranian media reports that Iranian vessels pursued US speedboats in the Persian Gulf. The reports contain footage that purportedly shows Iranian vessels chasing boats flying US flags.

A return to the Iran nuclear agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), remains a central issue in the US-Iran relationship. However, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday that there is little time remaining to negotiate a return given Iran’s progress in its nuclear program.