At the location of the Persian Gulf, the Iranian Attack Boats attacked US Warships yet again. This is the second time in this month of April that this has happened so far. The first time, on April 2nd, three fast attack crafts as well as a support vessel, coming in 70 yards of a few Coast Guard cutters. The harassment lasted three hours. In response, collision was avoided through the use of the loud hailer devices (approximately 5 short blasts). The second time (April 26th), it was reported by Rebecca Rebarich (spokeswoman for the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet) that the Iranian Attack Boats traveled close to the US Warships, within 68 yards of them, taking away the US Warships security and sense of safety. The US Warships consisted of three fast-attack crafts as well as the Harth 55 (180 foot, twin-hilled support vessel). In addition, the US were not provoking the Iranian Attack Boats in any manner, and in fact were serving in an appropriate manner by patrolling international waters in the Persian Gulf, the southern portion. In result, this provoked one of the US warships to fire warning shots and use loud hailer devices until the Iranian Attack Boats backed off. This displays US forces and how they effectively communicated to the Iranian Attack Boats in order to keep everyone safe and deescalate the situation at hand. However, in terms of Iranian actions, Rebecca Rebarich has noted that they were “deemed unsafe and unprofessional”, as they failed to recognize international maritime regulations that are set in order to prevent conflicts and collisions like so. In effect, this has prompted the US, as well as other countries to discuss the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, which was signed in 2015 regarding a nuclear deal. Fortunately, it has been reported by both US and Iranian officials that progress has been made in terms of joining this Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action once again. In the meantime, the US naval forces plan to “remain vigilant and are trained to act in a professional manner”, as stated by Rebecca Rebarich.
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