Iran rejects US claim that speedboats sparked encounter

Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard has rejected the United States Navy’s claim that Iranian speedboats maneuvered too close in the Strait of Hormuz and sparked a tense encounter in the already sensitive region

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard on Tuesday rejected the U.S. Navy's claim that fast-approaching Iranian speedboats in the Strait of Hormuz sparked a tense encounter in the already sensitive region. The Guard’s website, sepahnews.com, published a statement Tuesday saying Americans were guilty of using “false narratives and unprofessional behavior” and should more strictly “abide by international regulations.” Specifically, the statement said the Guard's navy warned the U.S. vessels to stop their “provocative and aimless shooting.” A day earlier, the U.S. said the Revolutionary Guard sent 13 armed speedboats too close to U.S. Navy vessels in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday. The Americans said a Coast Guard cutter fired warning shots when two of the Iranian boats came dangerously close. The exchange comes as the United States and Iran engage in indirect talks in Vienna aimed at reviving the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which the United States left in 2018.