The US White House warned on Monday Iran to refrain from taking
"provocative actions that could lead to a dangerous incident in the
future."
This photo shows the
location of the Strait of Hormuz. Five Iranian Revolutionary
Guardboats "seriously provoked" three US warships in the Strait of
Hormuz over the weekend, the Pentagon said
Monday.
"We urge the Iranians to refrain from such provocative actions
that could lead to a dangerous incident in the future," US National
Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.
Meanwhile, the State Department said the United States "will
confront Iranian behavior" after it alleged the Islamic country
posed a serious provocation to US navy ships in the Straits of
Hormuz.
"The United States will confront Iranian behavior where it seeks
to do harm either to us or our friends or allies in the region.
There is wide support for that within the region," State Department
spokesman Sean McCormack said.
The strong response from the White House and the State
Department came after the Pentagon alleged Monday that five Iranian
revolutionary guard boats "seriously provoked" three US warships in
the Straits of Hormuz over the weekend.
Pentagon officials told reporters the Iranian boats made
threatening moves and headed toward the US ships at early Sunday
morning local time.
The Iran boats also made threatening radio transmissions, which
a US official said included the taunt that "I am coming at you. You
will explode in a couple of minutes."
The US warships manned gun positions and were prepared to shoot,
but the Iranian boats suddenly turned away, the officials said.
The US ships were in international waters at the time.
The Straits of Hormuz, a narrow passage between Iran and the
United Arab Emirates, is a key route for international crude oil
shipments.
The USS Harry S. Truman
aircraft carrier and the USNS Arctic sailing side-by-side in the
Gulf.
(Xinhua News Agency January 8, 2008)
