In December last year, Iranian naval vessels conducted rocket tests near the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier, pictured, the USS Bulkeley destroyer and a French frigate, the FS Provence, along with commercial traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class JM Tolbert/ US Navy via AP
In December last year, Iranian naval vessels conducted rocket tests near the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier, pictured, the USS Bulkeley destroyer and a French frigate, the FS Provence, along with commercial traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class JM Tolbert/ US Navy via AP
In December last year, Iranian naval vessels conducted rocket tests near the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier, pictured, the USS Bulkeley destroyer and a French frigate, the FS Provence, along with commercial traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class JM Tolbert/ US Navy via AP
In December last year, Iranian naval vessels conducted rocket tests near the USS Harry S Truman aircraft carrier, pictured, the USS Bulkeley destroyer and a French frigate, the FS Provence, along with

The National

Iran says it warned US warship to leave drill area

But Cmdr Kevin Stephens, a spokesman for the US navy’s 5th Fleet, said the Iranian exercise had not altered American naval operations in any way.

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TEHRAN // Iran’s navy warned a US warship to leave an area where Iran has been conducting a naval drill near the Strait of Hormuz.

The US navy denied that its operations in the region were affected.

The Iranian navy chief, Adml Habibollah Sayyari, said the US warship received two warnings before leaving the region, Iran’s Fars news agency reported.

“They were warned once by maritime patrol aircraft and once again by the Alborz destroyer,” he said. “The US warship left the region immediately after receiving the warning,” he added, saying he believed that the Americans had approached the area to “learn our tactics”.

It is the first Iranian naval exercise since 10 US sailors were briefly captured by Iran earlier this month after drifting into Iranian territorial waters.

Cmdr Kevin Stephens, a spokesman for the US navy’s 5th Fleet, offered a different version of events.

The United States is aware of the Iranian exercise, but it has not altered US naval operations in any way, he said. Iran had announced plans to close off certain areas for the drill, but he said this is “common practice for any navy conducting such training at sea,” he said.

“Our forces similarly announce closure areas for our training events. We do not consider such announcements to be ‘orders’,” Cmdr Stephens said.

Iran conducts similar exercises annually and the US does not see this year’s as a change in Iranian behaviour, Cmdr Stephens added.

He said the exercise may increase the chances of American forces interacting with Iranian warships, but added that US navy vessels are routinely approached by Iranian warships as they operate in the region. Most of those encounters are conducted “in a safe and professional manner, recent events notwithstanding,” he said.

Iran said the naval drill got underway on Wednesday over an area of 3 million square kilometres, including part of the Strait of Hormuz, through which one fifth of the world oil supply passes, as well as the Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean.

On Tuesday, Adml Sayyari said many types of missiles and torpedoes will be launched during the manoeuvres.

Iran occasionally holds military manoeuvres to ensure the preparedness of its forces and to demonstrate its military capabilities in the region.

*Associated Press

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