Flashpoint / Global 22 Jul 2024 Strait of Hormuz Share Facebook Twitter Email Print Back to Map I. Why it Matters In recent years, the U.S. and Iranian navies have had numerous tense encounters in the Persian Gulf, where 30 per cent of the world’s seaborne-traded crude oil passes through the Strait of Hormuz every day. Commercial shipping has also been impacted by a rise in U.S.-Iran tensions. An intentional or inadvertent incident at sea could quickly escalate into a direct military confrontation, and risk shipping through the critical energy chokepoint. II. Recent Developments 22 July 2024 The IRGC confirmed that it had seized a Togo-flagged, UAE-bound tanker and detained its crew, asserting that the ship had been “systematically engaged in fuel smuggling”. View More 13 July 2024 A spokesperson for the company that had chartered a tanker seized by Iran in April 2023 said "we are pleased to see the safe release of the vessel and crew”. View More 3 May 2024 Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian reported that Iran had released the crew of MSC Aries, seized on 13 April, though the vessel remained under what he termed “judicial detention”. View More 13 April 2024 The IRGC seized MCS Aries, a Portuguese-registered merchant vessel described as “linked to Israel”, in the Gulf of Oman. On April 15, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson claimed that “the vessel was diverted into Iran’s territorial waters as a result of violating maritime laws and not answering calls made by Iranian authorities”. View More 15 February 2024 CENTCOM revealed that on 28 January, U.S. forces had “seized advanced conventional weapons and other lethal aid originating in Iran and bound to Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen from a vessel in the Arabian Sea”. View More 11 January 2024 Iran’s Navy declared that in response to the 2023 U.S. seizure of an Iranian oil cargo aboard the Suez Rajan, they had seized “the oil tanker renamed St Nicholas” in the Gulf of Oman. A Turkish refiner confirmed that it had purchased the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel’s cargo from Iraq. The White House said Iran’s “provocative and unacceptable actions need to stop”, and urged the ship’s release. View More 1 January 2024 Iranian media reported that the Alborz, a destroyer, had entered the Red Sea. View More 23 December 2023 The Pentagon confirmed that “the M/V Chem Pluto, a Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned and Netherlands-operated chemical tanker was struck… in the Indian Ocean, 200 nautical miles from the coast of India, by a one-way attack drone fired from Iran”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson denied the claim. View More 22 December 2023 A senior White House official asserted: “We know that Iran was deeply involved in planning the operations against commercial vessels in the Red Sea. This is consistent with Iran’s long-term material support and encouragement of the Houthi’s destabilising actions in the region… This is an international challenge that demands collective action”. View More 14 December 2023 Reacting to U.S. plans to form a multinational task-force “to provide a greater level of security through the Red Sea”, Iran’s defence minister warned: “if they make such an irrational move, they will be faced with extraordinary problems… Nobody can make a move in a region where we have predominance”. View More 2 December 2023 CENTCOM confirmed intercepting “an Iranian UAV operating in an unsafe and unprofessional manner during aircraft carrier flight operations in the Arabian Gulf”, asserting: “The U.S. Navy will continue to fly and sail where international law allows”. View More 28 November 2023 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command reported that “Iranian unmanned aircraft took unsafe and unprofessional actions near USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) (IKE) during the course of routine flight operations in international waters… No injuries were reported and no aircraft was damaged”. NAVCENT’s commander asserted that “this unsafe, unprofessional, and irresponsible behavior by Iran risks U.S. and partner nation lives and needs to cease immediately…U.S. naval forces remain vigilant and will continue to fly, sail and operate anywhere international law allows while promoting regional maritime security”. View More 25 November 2023 Media reports citing a U.S. official indicated that Mayet, a Malta-flagged “container ship managed by an Israeli-controlled company was hit by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean, causing minor damage to the vessel but no injuries”. View More 5 November 2023 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command announced that “an Ohio-class submarine arrived in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations... The submarine’s rapid deployment in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility demonstrates the flexibility and dynamic ability to deter potential adversaries, reassure partners, enhanced maritime security and ensure freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce”. View More 4 October 2023 CENTCOM announced that the U.S. had “transferred approximately 1.1 million 7.62mm rounds to the Ukrainian armed forces… These munitions were originally seized [in December 2022] by U.S. Central Command naval forces… [while] being transferred from the IRGC to the Huthis in Yemen in violation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2216”. The statement further asserted that “the U.S. is committed to working with our allies and partners to counter the flow of Iranian lethal aid in the region by all lawful means”. View More 4 October 2023 The head of the U.S. Air Forces Central Command assessed that “our increased air presence, but more importantly the increased presence of surface vessels… combined with our air power has deterred Iran from taking any actions against maritime shipping… My hope is that they’ve seen that message and that they remain deterred over the longer term”. View More 1 October 2023 President Raisi contended that “seeking to normalise relations with the Zionist regime (ie, Israel) is an indicator of a reactionary and regressive government… The way to deal with the enemy is not compromise and surrender, but it is resilience and resistance”. View More 28 September 2023 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command announced that the previous day, “Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) interacted in an unsafe and unprofessional manner with a U.S. AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter… as the aircraft was conducting routine operations in the international airspace of the Arabian Gulf”, adding: “IRGCN vessels shone a laser multiple times at the aircraft while in flight. Fortunately, no injuries were reported and the aircraft was not damaged”. View More 15 September 2023 An IRGC official announced that its naval forces had “seized two oil tankers that were engaged in an organised smuggling of the Islamic Republic’s oil and gas”; the vessels were identified as sailing under the flags of Panama and Tanzania. View More 8 September 2023 The Department of Justice publicly confirmed the April seizure an Iranian oil cargo aboard the Suez Rajan, describing it as a “successful disruption of a multimillion-dollar shipment of crude oil by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps... This is the first-ever criminal resolution involving a company that violated sanctions by facilitating the illicit sale and transport of Iranian oil”. View More 1 September 2023 Jordan signed on to the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), joining eleven other countries in the initiative. View More 29 August 2023 Asked whether the U.S. sensed a decrease in threats to U.S. forces in the region and maritime security, a Pentagon spokesperson stated: “I wouldn’t know that I’d make an assessment on temperature dropping. We continue to see harassment. Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen harassment from IRGC-backed groups over commercial ships... We have not seen that threat drop, I would say, so we haven’t seen a reason to move our forces out”. View More 21 August 2023 After an oil tanker seized by the U.S. for carrying Iranian crude oil reportedly offloaded its cargo, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson maintained: “I have no confirmed information. There is a general principle that says the era of hit-and-run is over. Iran will not stand idly by in relation to any violation of the nation’s rights and will cut the hands of the aggressors… Acts of trespassing on tankers carrying Iranian oil are a clear example of piracy”. On 28 August, the official confirmed that the foreign ministry had summoned the Swiss chargé d’affaires, whose country represents U.S. interests in Iran, over the seizure. View More 21 August 2023 A U.S. defence spokesperson rejected an IRGC claim of its naval forces having forced “a U.S. helicopter carrier in the Strait of Hormuz… to ground its choppers before they can enter Iran’s territorial waters”, characterising the statement as “untrue”. View More 17 August 2023 A Pentagon spokesperson assessed that following an increased U.S. military presence in and around the Strait of Hormuz, “we do believe that we are having a deterrent effect... Our hope would be that the trend would be downward, but ultimately that's up to Iran”. View More 12 August 2023 A U.S. navy spokesperson confirmed that the International Maritime Security Construct had been “notifying regional mariners of appropriate precautions to minimise the risk of seizure based on current regional tensions, which we seek to de-escalate… Vessels are being advised to transit as far away from Iranian territorial waters as possible”. The same day, United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued an advisory regarding “an increased threat within the vicinity of Strait of Hormuz. All vessels transiting are advised to exercise caution”. View More 6 August 2023 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command announced that “more than 3,000 U.S. Sailors and Marines of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in the Middle East… as part of a pre-announced Department of Defense deployment”, highlighting that the additional forces “bring to the region additional aviation and naval assets, as well as more U.S. Marines and Sailors, providing greater flexibility and maritime capability to U.S. 5th Fleet”. The following day, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson asserted that “ensuring the security of waterways and safe shipping in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman is one of Iran’s priorities and an issue that should be carried out in the framework of joint cooperation between the coastal countries… without any foreign intervention and extra-regional forces”. The same day, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei contended that the U.S. was “attacking oil tankers and helping maritime smuggling gangs in our region and other regions”, while an IRGC spokesperson emphasised Iran’s power to “respond in kind to any U.S. action and mischief [in the region], including the seizure of ships”. View More 3 August 2023 The Saudi foreign ministry reiterated that “the natural resources in the maritime ‘Divided Area’, including the entire Al-Durra gas field, are exclusively owned by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, as the two countries have the full sovereign rights to exploit the resources of the area”, It further renewed the invitation for “Iran to engage in negotiations concerning the eastern border of the maritime Divided Area, with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Kuwait to be represented as one negotiating party, while Iran represents the other party”. View More 3 August 2023 The commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command met with the GCC secretary-general, conferring on “maritime collaboration for ensuring the free flow of global commerce in and near critical regional waterways”. According to a GCC readout, the secretary-general “emphasised that the matter of maritime security is a top priority within the framework of the strategic partnership with the U.S.”. View More 2 August 2023 The IRGC Navy held a drill in Iran’s southern waters, and announced the addition of a type of ballistic missile to the fleet. View More 31 July 2023 After Kuwait’s oil minister remarked that Kuwait would begin drilling in the Arash/Al-Durra gas field, shared with Saudi Arabia, without waiting for an agreement with Iran over disputed areas, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson affirmed that “we want joint exploitation of the Arash gas field, and we announced our readiness for talks with the Kuwaiti side in this regard…However, if perhaps there is no desire for joint exploitation of the field, Iran has naturally put on its agenda its own rights and interests concerning the exploration and exploitation of its resources and it will not tolerate any violation of the rights of the Iranian nation”. View More 25 July 2023 Iran’s military unveiled what state media described as “the first homegrown long-range naval cruise missile that employs artificial intelligence in the software”; the defence minister claimed that “with the mass production of the Abu Mahdi missile, we will be able to fire at the enemy’s moving targets in the sea from the depths of the Iranian soil and entirely hidden places at the maximum operating pace, and complete destroy the enemy’s ships, frigates and destroyers”. View More 21 July 2023 The U.S. and Bahrain concluded a strategic dialogue with a joint statement in which they underscored “their commitment to freedom of navigation in international waters, noting especially the importance of ensuring safe passage for commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and condemned acts that put free navigation in jeopardy”. They also expressed “their shared commitment to deterring and confronting threats to the Kingdom of Bahrain and enhancing regional peace and security”. View More 20 July 2023 The IRGC Navy’s commander warned that “we would hold any oil company that sought to unload our crude from the vessel [that the U.S. seized in April] responsible and we also hold America responsible… The era of hit and run is over, and if they hit, they should expect to be struck back”. View More 20 July 2023 The Pentagon announced that “in response to recent attempts by Iran to threaten the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters, the Secretary of Defense has ordered the deployment of a portion of the BATAAN Amphibious Readiness Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) comprised of the USS Bataan, USS Carter Hall and its associated personnel and equipment into the U.S. CENTCOM area of responsibility”. “Through these actions”, the statement added, “the U.S. is demonstrating commitment to ensuring freedom of navigation and deterring Iranian destabilisation activities in the region. We will continue to work with like-minded allies and partners who are committed to the free flow of commerce to take appropriate, coordinated actions against threats to this fundamental principle of the rules-based international order”. View More 19 July 2023 The U.S. and the Arab League concluded a strategic dialogue with a joint statement in which they denounced “any threats, armed seizures and attacks against commercial ships that interfere with navigational rights and freedoms in the strategic waterways of the region”, adding: “We resolve to increase our commitment to pursue collective efforts to address threats to the security of vessels traveling through the region’s waterways that are critical to international trade and the global economy”. View More 17 July 2023 A Pentagon spokesperson announced that “in response to a number of recent alarming events in the Strait of Hormuz, the Secretary of Defense has ordered the deployment of the destroyer USS Thomas Hudner, F-35 fighters and F-16 fighters to the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility to defend U.S. interests and safeguard freedom of navigation in the region”. Referring to Iran’s attempts to seize two merchant vessels early July, she noted: “In light of this continued threat and in coordination with our partners and allies, the department is increasing our presence and ability to monitor the strait and surrounding waters. We call upon Iran to immediately cease these destabilising actions that threaten the free flow of commerce through this strategic waterway of which the world depends on for more than one fifth of the world’s oil supply”. View More 6 July 2023 A U.S. navy spokesperson reported that Iran’s IRGC had detained a merchant vessel, potentially involved in smuggling activity, in international waters. “U.S. naval forces deployed maritime assets to closely monitor the situation. Ultimately, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command assessed the circumstances of this event did not warrant further response”, he added. The following day, Iranian media reported that the IRGC Navy had seized what was described as a vessel carrying smuggled fuel, and detained the twelve crew members. View More 5 July 2023 The U.S. military reported that its “forces prevented two attempted commercial tanker seizures by the Iranian Navy after the Iranians have opened fire in one of the incidents near the coast of Oman”. According to a statement from U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, “one Iranian naval vessel approached the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker TRF Moss in international waters in the Gulf of Oman. The Iranian vessel departed the scene when U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) arrived on station”. Subsequently, “the U.S. Navy received a distress call from Bahamian-flagged oil tanker Richmond Voyager… Another Iranian naval vessel had closed within one mile of Richmond Voyager while hailing the commercial tanker to stop… Prior to McFaul’s arrival on scene, Iranian personnel fired multiple, long bursts from both small arms and crew-served weapons. Richmond Voyager sustained no casualties or significant damage. However, several rounds hit the ship’s hull near crew living spaces. The Iranian navy vessel departed when McFaul arrived”. The following day, Iran’s Ports and Maritime Organisation claimed that Richmond Voyager had “ignored basic international maritime laws by escaping the scene of a collision with an Iranian vessel”, in which it said five crew members had been injured. It further noted: “Iran has informed Omani authorities of the case and will continue efforts to confiscate the ship”. Chevron, which managed the Richmond Voyager, denied Iran’s claims. View More 4 July 2023 After an Iranian oil ministry official announced Iran’s readiness to start drilling in the Arash/Al-Durra gas field, a Saudi official asserted that “the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Kuwait alone have full sovereign rights to exploit the wealth in that region”, while calling on Iran to negotiate over disputed areas. View More 25 June 2023 Representatives from the U.S., the GCC and GCC member states participated in a “high-level, multilateral meeting in Bahrain… to discuss current maritime security and ways to further enhance maritime security in the region”. The participants issued a joint statement, expressing their “commitment to uphold navigational rights and operate consistent with international law, as well as pursue collective efforts to prevent threats to vessels traveling through regional waterways that are critical to international trade and the global economy”. View More 14 June 2023 Media reports citing an unnamed U.S. official indicated that Iran had “tested a suicide drone against a practice vessel in the Gulf and fired one other missile or drone without warning ships in the area”. The official asserted that it was: “Essentially practicing hitting merchant vessels. That’s the only reason why you would do that in the Gulf of Oman… The closest merchant vessel was about 30 miles out away from the barge, but it was still dangerous”. View More 7 June 2023 U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Riyadh for meetings with senior Saudi officials and GCC counterparts. A joint U.S-GCC ministerial statement reaffirmed “their commitment to freedom of navigation and maritime security in the region and their determination to counter aggressive and illegal actions at sea or elsewhere that might threaten the shipping lanes, international trade and oil installations in the GCC states”. The ministers also urged “Iran to fully cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency”, while hailing “the decision by Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume diplomatic relations”. During his visit, Blinken commented on Iran-Saudi normalisation mediated by China, maintaining: “If countries, whoever they are, can play a positive role in helping to advance peace, de-escalate tensions… we think that’s a good thing. And of course, the Saudis and Iranians have been talking together for at least a couple of years to get to this place. We’ll see what happens now. But again, if it reduces tensions, if it at least takes one problem off of the board, that’s very positive”. View More 4 June 2023 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command reported that U.S. and UK vessels, supported by a patrol aircraft, had “responded to a distress call from a merchant vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz, June 4, as Iranian [IRGC Navy] fast-attack boats harassed the commercial ship”. “The situation deescalated approximately an hour later when the merchant vessel confirmed the fast-attack craft departed the scene”, the statement added, further highlighting: “U.S. 5th Fleet remains vigilant and is bolstering defence around the key strait with partners to enhance regional maritime security and stability”. The IRGC Navy denied the report, claiming that after receiving a distress call from a Marshall Islands-flagged merchant vessel, “the command and control center of Iran at the Hormuz Strait… resolved the ship’s concerns about the presence of [three] non-military light boats near it”. View More 30 May 2023 The Emirati foreign ministry confirmed that “as a result of our ongoing evaluation of effective security cooperation with all partners, two months ago, the UAE withdrew its participation in the [U.S-led] Combined Maritime Forces”. A U.S. navy spokesperson indicated that the UAE had withdrawn “their participation for the moment in the task forces but not their overall membership”. View More 22 May 2023 Israel’s defence minister estimated that “since I took office, the number of Israeli strikes against the Iranian in Syria have doubled... We are working methodically to strike the Iranian intelligence capabilities in Syria. These strikes inflict significant damage to the attempts by the Revolutionary guard to establish a foothold a few kilometres from the Israeli border”. He further asserted that “Iran aims to expand its reach to the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and even the shores of the Mediterranean... This is a structure plan designed to threaten trade and flight route - both military and civilian - and to create a permanent threat in the maritime arena”. View More 22 May 2023 Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) announced the establishment of a new U.S.-commanded task force whose objective was to “train partner navies and improve operational capabilities to enhance maritime security in the Middle East”. View More 12 May 2023 U.S. Naval Central Command announced that “U.S. 5th Fleet is working with regional allies and partners to increase the rotation of ships and aircraft patrolling in and around the Strait of Hormuz following Iran’s recent unlawful merchant vessel seizures”, in addition to “bolstering international maritime security collaboration among the International Maritime Security Construct and European Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson on 17 May insisted that “the new accusations against Iran… are aimed at justifying the continuation or intensification of interventionist presence in the region”. He went on to assert that “the presence and destabilising actions of American forces double Iran’s responsibility in ensuring the security of the region and the Strait of Hormuz and in dealing with lawbreakers”, adding: “Iran considers the continued presence of foreign military forces in the waters of the Persian Gulf as a threat to the security of navigation in this strategic waterway”. View More 3 May 2023 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command reported that the “Panama-flagged oil tanker Niovi was seized by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) while transiting the Strait of Hormuz”, further asserting: “Iran’s continued harassment of vessels and interference with navigational rights in regional waters are unwarranted, irresponsible and a present threat to maritime security and the global economy”. Iranian state media indicated that the seizure was based on a judicial order following a “private complaint”. View More 29 April 2023 The IRGC Navy’s commander argued that “the illegitimate presence of the aggressive U.S. and the child-killing Israeli regime in this region has endangered the stability and security of the Persian Gulf”, warning that “in the event any accidents involving these [foreign] vessels, which are primarily nuclear-fueled, the Persian Gulf’s ecosystem could be impacted for decades”. View More 27 April 2023 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command reported that the Advantage Sweet, “a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker… was seized by the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy while transiting international waters in the Gulf of Oman”. It called on Iran to “immediately release the oil tanker”, and noted: “Iran’s continued harassment of vessels and interference with navigational rights in regional waters are a threat to maritime security and the global economy”. Iran’s Navy stated that the tanker was detained because it had “collided with an Iranian boat in the Gulf of Oman and tried to flee… two members of boat’s crew are missing and several were injured”. However, the company managing the vessel, which was travelling from Kuwait to the U.S., reportedly “had no knowledge of a collision”. The following day, media reports indicated that the U.S. had seized a China-bound shipment of Iranian crude prior to the Advantage Sweet incident, with an unnamed U.S. official quoted as saying that the latter “appears to be in retaliation”. View More 20 April 2023 Iran’s navy commander claimed that an Iranian submarine had “detected an American nuclear-powered submarine that was cruising under escort in the Strait of Hormuz stealthily and forced it to surface and change its track” after approaching Iran’s territorial waters. The U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet rejected the claim as “absolutely false”, saying: “A U.S. submarine has not transited the Strait of Hormuz recently. The claim represents more Iranian disinformation that destabilises the region”. View More 19 April 2023 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command announced that “an unmanned surface vessel from U.S. 5th Fleet transited the Strait of Hormuz with two U.S. Coast Guard cutters… demonstrating the continued operational integration of unmanned and artificial intelligence systems by U.S. maritime forces in the Middle East”. The vessels, per the Navy statement, were “operating in support of the International Maritime Security Construct”. View More 7 April 2023 The U.S. announced the deployment of a nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine to the Middle East “to help ensure regional maritime security and stability”, adding: “Recent events, including the strikes in Syria and public threats made by Iran against merchant vessels, prompted us to remind regional mariners to remain vigilant”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson reacted to the announcement by saying: “The U.S. regime has trodden a path against the will of regional nations by its frequent warmongering and spreading instability and division in the West Asia region. Washington would better be realistic and understand the realities and avoid attempting to interfere in West Asia region and the Persian Gulf, in the interest of the shaky Zionist regime [ie, Israel]”. View More 2 April 2023 Iran’s Navy reported that it had “identified and warned off a U.S. spy aircraft after it entered the country’s borders near the Sea of Oman”. View More 15 March 2023 A U.S. diplomat told the Security Council: “We hope that the recently announced agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran will contribute to efforts to secure a durable solution to the conflict in Yemen, address the continued flow of Iranian lethal aid to the Huthis and ensure Iranian support for a Yemeni political process”. Noting four interdictions of Iranian-origin, Yemen-bound arms shipments since January, the U.S. diplomat underscored that “member states involved in these illicit transfers… are in violation of this Council’s resolutions”. View More 15 March 2023 China, Iran and Russia began a five-day military drill in the Gulf of Oman. View More 2 March 2023 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command announced that on 23 February, “U.S. forces provided airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support for an interdiction in the Gulf of Oman conducted by the United Kingdom Royal Navy… confiscating anti-tank guided missiles and missile components from a small boat that originated from Iran. UK forces discovered packages that included Iranian versions of Russian 9M133 Kornet anti-tank guided missiles… and medium-range ballistic missile components”. “The interdiction occurred along a route historically used to traffic weapons unlawfully to Yemen”, the statement noted. A senior U.S. commander stated that “this is the seventh illegal weapon or drug interdiction in the last three months and yet another example of Iran’s increasing malign maritime activity across the region”. View More 1 March 2023 A senior IDF official contended that “Iran is not just a threat to Israel; and I’m not only speaking about their nuclear threats, but also their deployment of UAVs and their threat over the international freedom of navigation… In the last month, Iran has unsuccessfully carried out several attempts to attack Israeli naval vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. We have also seen the use of armed drones in the Russian-Ukrainian War. Iran poses a threat to the security and stability of the Middle East”. View More 17 February 2023 Media reports citing an unnamed U.S. official indicated that on 10 February the Campo Square, a Liberian-flagged commercial vessel linked to Israeli ownership, came under attack by a suspected Iranian drone in the Arabian Sea, resulting in “minor damage”. Two days later, Prime Minister Netanyahu claimed Iran was responsible for the attack, which led to Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson denying the accusation, while arguing: “A regime that endangers the security of others and does not adhere to the security of others exposes itself to mutual threats”. View More 15 February 2023 CENTCOM Commander Erik Kurilla reiterated that “Iran’s continued shipment of illegal arms to the Huthis violated the UN Security Council Resolution governing the violence in Yemen and undermines peace efforts. Our partners are critical to the interdiction of this material and to countering Iran’s malign activity. Iran remains the most destabilising actor in the Middle East”. View More 13 February 2023 Following U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Defence Working Group meetings in Riyadh, a senior U.S. defence official remarked that “there is a shared assessment between the U.S. and the GCC of the threats that face us… We spent extensive amounts of time today focused on the full set of threats from Iran, whether it’s Iranian proliferation of UAVs to non-state actors across the region… and, of course, the ongoing threat to U.S. forces who are in Iraq and Syria”. She further highlighted that “Iranian aggression at sea remains a serious concern… the work to bring partners together and the increased rate of maritime interdiction speaks both to the serious nature of the threats we face at sea, and to how we can effectively address those threats through increased cooperation”. “We also spent time focusing on increased Iranian-Russian military cooperation, the illicit transfer of Iranian weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine that are actively killing Ukrainian civilians and how that increased military cooperation has serious implications for the stability and security of the Middle East”, the U.S. official added, while emphasising: “When it comes to the specific working groups, integrated air and missile defense and maritime… there has been no other moment in time in which the prospect for meaningful integration is more real than today”. View More 13 February 2023 At a U.S.-Gulf Cooperation Council Working Group on Integrated Air and Missile Defense and Maritime Security in Riyadh, according to a U.S. readout, the participants “welcomed opportunities to continue their work together to advance integrated deterrence in the region”, noting: “Due to the clear threat to regional security and stability, preventing Iran from holding the region at risk through its proliferation and direct use of advanced ballistic missiles, maritime weapons and unmanned systems is of the utmost importance”. Participants further “agreed on the shared objectives of improving collective early warning, streamlining coordination against shared threats, and building towards regional integration”. View More 1 February 2023 CENTCOM announced that on January 15 it had “supported a maritime interdiction… that resulted in the seizure by partner naval forces of weapons that originated in Iran and were bound for Yemen” in the Gulf of Oman, adding: “More than 3,000 assault rifles, 578,000 rounds of ammunition and 23 advanced anti-tank guided missiles were recovered”. View More 17 January 2023 Marking the anniversary of an attack against civilian targets in the UAE by what CENTCOM described as “Iran-aligned forces”, ie, the Huthis, the White House affirmed that “the U.S. will continue to support the UAE as it defends itself against threats – whether from Yemen or anywhere else. We remain steadfast in our pursuit of diplomacy to bring a peaceful end to the war in Yemen, and the U.S. will continue to support the security of the UAE and our other partners in the Middle East, including providing needed military assistance”. View More 16 January 2023 A U.S. representative told the UN Security Council that “despite the ongoing period of calm [in the Yemen war], Iran continues to send a steady flow of weapons to the Huthis. Just ten days ago, the U.S. intercepted a dhow carrying thousands of AK-47s from Iran to the Huthis – the third interdiction in recent months. Such lethal, external interference can only fuel war and suffering in Yemen at a time when Yemenis are calling for the Huthis to negotiate to end the war”. View More 10 January 2023 CENTCOM announced that on 6 January it had interdicted “a stateless dhow in the Gulf of Oman smuggling more than 2,000 AK-47 assault rifles while transiting international waters from Iran to Yemen”. A senior commander contended that “this shipment is part of a continued pattern of destabilising activity from Iran… These threats have our attention. We remain vigilant in detecting any maritime activity that threatens freedom or compromises regional security”. View More 10 December 2022 Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian affirmed that “the three islands of Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb in the Persian Gulf are inseparable parts of Iranian soil and eternally belong to this motherland. We have no qualms about the necessity of other parties respecting Iran’s territorial integrity”. His remarks came in response to a joint GCC-China statement that had expressed “support for all peaceful efforts, including the initiative and endeavours of the United Arab Emirates to reach a peaceful solution to the [sovereignty] issue of the three islands”. View More 6 December 2022 CENTCOM reported that on 5 December “an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy patrol boat interacted in an unsafe and unprofessional manner as U.S. Navy ships transited the Strait of Hormuz… the Iranian vessel attempted blind the bridge by shining a spotlight and crossed within 150 yards of the U.S. ships”. A spokesperson remarked that “this dangerous action in international waters is indicative of Iran’s destabilising activity across the Middle East”. View More 3 December 2022 The U.S. Navy announced that on 1 December it had “intercepted a fishing trawler smuggling more than 50 tons of ammunition rounds, fuses and propellants for rockets in the Gulf of Oman along a maritime route from Iran to Yemen”. A senior commander contended that “this significant interdiction clearly shows that Iran’s unlawful transfer of lethal aid and destabilising behaviour continues… U.S. naval forces remain focused on deterring and disrupting dangerous and irresponsible maritime activity in the region”. View More 1 December 2022 Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz asserted that “in the last five years, Iran has conducted at least sixteen separate attacks on civilian international vessels in the Gulf and the Red Sea”. He also contended that “Iran continues to build, expand and fortify its capabilities. Today should Iran decide to do so, it may reach SQ1 at 90 per cent enriched Uranium in only two weeks. The international community must take action – strengthening alliances, increasing intelligence cooperation, projecting power and responding forcefully to Iranian attacks and aggression”. View More 1 December 2022 Latvia signed on to the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), joining ten other countries in the initiative. View More 16 November 2022 Eastern Pacific Shipping Pte. Ltd. (EPS), affiliated with an Israeli businessman, reported that on 15 November its tanker Pacific Zircon “was hit by a projectile approximately 150 miles off the coast of Oman… there is some minor damage to the vessel’s hull”. U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan denounced the attack “in the strongest possible terms”, while maintaining: “We are confident that Iran likely conducted this attack using a UAV, a lethal capability it is increasingly employing directly and via its proxies throughout the Middle East and proliferating to Russia for use in Ukraine”. An unnamed Israeli official was cited as saying “it is an Iranian attack, there is consensus on this in the Israeli intelligence and defence community”. View More 16 November 2022 Iran released Prudent Warrior and Delta Poseidon, two Greek oil tankers seized in May. View More 15 November 2022 The U.S. 5th Fleet revealed that on 8 November it interdicted a vessel “in the Gulf of Oman smuggling lethal aid, including a large quantity of explosive material, from Iran to Yemen”; the four Yemeni crewmembers were repatriated and the ship sunk. A U.S. commander maintained that the 70 tonnes of ammonium perchlorate found abroad “was a massive amount of explosive material, enough to fuel more than a dozen medium-range ballistic missiles depending on the size”. The U.S. statement also highlighted that “the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer of weapons to the Huthis violates UN Security Council Resolution 2216 and international law”. View More 21 October 2022 The U.S. military denied claims by a senior Iranian commander regarding the seizure of two naval drones. View More 19 October 2022 Seychelles signed on to the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), joining nine other countries in the initiative. View More 18 October 2022 An Iranian official reported that the IRGC had detained a vessel and its seven crew members for carrying smuggled fuel in the country’s southern waters. View More 12 October 2022 A senior CENTCOM commander maintained that “the most serious threats that we see do come from Iran. They come in two forms: the growth and capability and numbers of cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and UAVs, as well as their use of proxies in those particular weapons”. View More 7 October 2022 The U.S. and UK held a joint maritime drill “which featured the use of unmanned systems and artificial intelligence to enhance maritime monitoring by crewed ships and operators ashore”. View More 21 September 2022 Iranian border guards seized a vessel carrying smuggled fuel in the country’s southern waters. View More 10 September 2022 Iran detained a vessel and its crew of seven for smuggling fuel in the country’s southern waters. View More 2 September 2022 The U.S. Navy reported that on 1 September it had “intercepted an Iranian warship that seized and detained two U.S. unmanned surface vessels operated by U.S. 5th Fleet in the Red Sea… The Iranian warship released the Saildrones”. Iran’s navy stated that its destroyer had found the USVs “abandoned” and “inevitably took action to stop the vessels in order to prevent possible terrorist incidents and prevented the occurrence of unforeseen accidents”. On 4 September, Iranian Chief of Staff Bagheri asserted: “Our vessels will not tolerate such [foreign unmanned] units in their routes and will take action against them in the same way that it has already happened”. View More 30 August 2022 The commander of CENTCOM criticised “Iran’s continued destabilising, illegal and unprofessional activity in the Middle East” after an IRGC ship attempted to seize a U.S. unmanned surface vessel in international waters. According to the U.S., “actions taken by U.S. naval forces in response resulted in the IRGCN vessel disconnecting the towing line to the USV and departing the area approximately four hours later”. The IRGC Navy rejected the U.S. version of events as “ridiclous”, suggesting that the USV’s “navigation communications were cut off”, therefore, Iranian forces towed it “with the aim of securing the shipping route and preventing a possible accident”. View More 23 August 2022 An Iranian official reported the seizure of a vessel and detention of seven crew members allegedly carrying smuggled fuel in the country’s southern waters. View More 14 August 2022 The IRGC reported seizing a vessel carrying smuggled fuel off Iran’s southern coast. View More 9 August 2022 Iran’s Navy reported that one of its ships had, after receiving a distress signal from an Iranian commercial vessel, exchanged fire with “attacking boats” whose origin was not specified. View More 23 July 2022 President Raisi told French President Macron that “Iran considers reaching an agreement dependent on the full resolution of [IAEA] safeguard issues and the provision of necessary guarantees, including the continued valid adherence of the parties to the agreement and the provision of the economic interests of the Iranian nation”. View More 22 July 2022 The IRGC Navy’s commander told his Omani counterpart that Israel “gaining a foothold in the Persian Gulf region will have no result other than sowing sedition and creating insecurity”, and further assessed that the “countries of the Persian Gulf region have the required capacity and capability to preserve the security of this sensible region”. View More 15 July 2022 Iran’s Navy unveiled in the Indian Ocean what was described as the country’s “first drone carrier division… capable of carrying various combat, surveillance and suicide drones”. View More 15 July 2022 Saudi Arabia and the U.S. issued The Jeddah Communique during President Biden’s visit to the Kingdom, in which “the two sides underscored the need to further deter Iran’s interference in the internal affairs of other countries, its support for terrorism through its arms proxies and its efforts to destabilise the security and stability of the region”. Underscoring “the importance of preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon”, the statement also highlighted maritime security, the benefits of extending the truce in Yemen and Saudi/GCC initiatives for linking up to Iraq’s electricity network. Biden’s trip also included a meeting between U.S. and GCC leaders, who in a 16 July statement “affirmed their joint commitment to preserve regional security and stability, support diplomacy with the aim of regional de-escalation, deepen their region-wide defence, security and intelligence cooperation and ensure the freedom and security of waterways”. That statement also emphasised “the centrality of diplomatic efforts to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon”. View More 7 July 2022 The UK announced that on 28 January and 25 February 2022, with the support of the U.S. Navy, “Royal Navy ship HMS Montrose seized Iranian weapons from speedboats being operated by smugglers in international waters south of Iran. The weapons seized included surface-to-air-missiles and engines for land attack cruise missiles, in contravention of UN Security Council resolution 2216 (2015)”. According to the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command “the weapons were seized along routes historically used to traffic weapons unlawfully to Yemen”, while affirming: “collaboration on maritime interdictions in the Middle East reflects our extraordinary partnership and strong commitment to regional security and stability”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson rejected the report as “baseless”. View More 5 July 2022 Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz contended that “Iran is expanding its aggressive operations in the region in general, and in the naval arena in particular”. Presenting satellite images, Gantz maintained that “the presence of Iran’s military forces in the Red Sea in recent months is the most significant in a decade. It is a direct threat to trade, energy and the global economy”. View More 20 June 2022 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command reported that “three vessels from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) interacted in an unsafe and unprofessional manner as U.S. Navy ships transited the Strait of Hormuz… [while] conducting a routine transit in international waters”, adding: “The IRGCN’s actions did not meet international standards of professional or safe maritime behaviour, increasing the risk of miscalculation and collision”. Too, the navy disclosed a similar “unsafe and unprofessional” incident that had taken place on 4 March. View More 16 June 2022 The IRGC announced the arrest of what was described as a major fuel smuggling network. The same day, an Iranian official reported the seizure of a vessel carrying smuggled fuel off Iran’s southern coast, and detention of its six crewmembers. View More 9 June 2022 U.S. Central Command announced that “coalition and regional partner air forces joined two U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortresses… on a presence patrol mission across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility” the previous day. A senior U.S. commander highlighted that “these highly coordinated efforts demonstrate our combined ability to provide global reach and joint security to the region”. View More 1 June 2022 Yemen’s internationally-recognised government seized “a boat with six Iranian sailors on board” carrying a narcotics cargo. The Yemeni information minister contended that the “Iranian regime was not satisfied with smuggling ballistic missiles, drones, weapons, ammunition and IEDs experts for Huthi terrorist militia, rather it deliberately flood Yemen with drugs”. He further called on the “international community, UN and UNSC to condemn Iranian regime practices and take a clear and firm stance towards its terrorist activities”. View More 30 May 2022 An Iranian official reported that coast guards had seized a vessel carrying smuggled fuel and arrested its crew members. The following day, a similar incident was reported, again off Iran’s southern coast. View More 27 May 2022 Following reports of the U.S. seizing Iranian oil aboard a tanker off the coast of Greece, the IRGC declared that it had seized two Greek oil tankers, identified as Prudent Warrior and Delta Poseidon. According to industry sources, the former was carrying a U.S.-bound cargo from Iraq and the latter was heading from Iraq to Greece. The Greek foreign ministry delivered a “strong-worded demarche” to Iran’s ambassador, condemned what it described as “actions… essentially tantamount to acts of piracy” and “called for the immediate release of the ships and their crews”. On 30 May, speaking with his Greek counterpart, Secretary of State Antony Blinken denounced the seizure “in the strongest terms” and contended: “Iran’s continued harassment of vessels and interference with navigational rights and freedoms are a threat to maritime security and the global economy”. View More 19 May 2022 The EU Naval Force reported that the Hong Kong-flagged sailing vessel Lakota came under armed attack off the coast of Hodeida by “three boats, with five person on-board with civilian clothes”, adding: “The sailing vessel managed to escape and the crew is safe”. View More 18 May 2022 An Iranian official reported the seizure of a vessel carrying smuggled fuel and detention of seven crew members. View More 17 May 2022 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command reported that a destroyer patrolling in the Gulf of Oman had interdicted “illegal narcotics during a flag verification boarding”, taking custody of the drugs and fishing vessel. “The vessel’s nine crew members identified themselves as Iranian nationals and will be transferred to a regional nation for repatriation”, the statement added. View More 14 May 2022 An Iranian official reported that the IRGC had detained a vessel carrying smuggled fuel, along with its four crew members. View More 12 May 2022 CENTCOM Commander Erik Kurilla described “Iran as the most destabilising force in the Middle East”, adding: “The U.S.’s position is that we will not allow a nuclear Iran. However, our concerns about Iran go beyond its nuclear capability”. He further indicated that “we are concerned about the smuggling of advanced conventional munitions by sea to support Huthi operations. Therefore, anti-smuggling operations with the Royal Saudi Naval Forces will serve as an area of focus for me… maintaining safe and secure waterways is a critical responsibility for us and our partners”. View More 24 April 2022 Iran’s IRGC reported seizing a foreign vessel carrying smuggled fuel off the southern coast; the crew of eight were arrested. According to the statement, “five other boats that intended to refuel the foreign-flagged vessel were also taken into custody for further investigation”. View More 21 April 2022 Iran’s navy commander remarked that “the northern Indian Ocean is a main waterway to connect the continents. If we do not have an effective presence, governments without a right will come [to the region] and approach our territorial waters. However, owing to the authority and presence of our fleet in high seas and constant monitoring, we do not have any problems and no country dares approach our country's waters”. “We escort our ships in all the waters across the globe to ensure [their] security and we are faced with no restrictions”, he added. View More 15 April 2022 The IRGC reported seizing a vessel carrying “smuggled fuel in the Persian Gulf”; the crew of seven were arrested. View More 14 April 2022 Iran’s defence minister told his Japanese counterpart of “Iran’s stance on the necessity of providing the security of navigation and said that the presence of foreign forces was illegitimate and detrimental to security”. According to Japan’s defence ministry, their minister “explained the extension of the JSDF information gathering activities in the Middle East”. View More 13 April 2022 The Saudi foreign ministry announced that the Kingdom and Kuwait had “agreed to expedite the development and exploitation of the Dorra field”, noting that they “had previously invited the Islamic Republic of Iran to negotiate the delimitation of the eastern boundary of the submerged divided zone but these call were not met”. The two countries “as a single negotiating party, renew their invitation to the Islamic Republic of Iran to hold these negotiations”, Riyadh indicated. View More 13 April 2022 The U.S. Fifth Fleet’s commander announced the establishment of a new naval task force as part of the 34-nation Combined Maritime Forces to patrol the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandab beginning 17 April. Admiral Brad Cooper said the initiative would “enhance security and stability in the Red Sea and the region”, adding that “the standup of this organisation really reflects a regional consensus on the importance of maritime security in these bodies of water”. View More 9 April 2022 The IRGC detained a “foreign ship carrying smuggled fuel in the Persian Gulf”; eleven foreign crew members were arrested. View More 30 March 2022 IRGC Commander Hossein Salami remarked that “some regimes to the south of the Persian Gulf have established political and security relations with the Zionist regime [ie, Israel], which poses a serious threat to the security of the region and especially those regimes… The continuation of such relations are not acceptable at all, and they should know that the existence of the evil Zionist regime everywhere is a cause of insecurity”. View More 26 March 2022 Romania signed on to the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), joining eight other countries in the initiative. View More 24 March 2022 The U.S. said it was “deeply disappointed and troubled by the presence of Iranian military officials and reportedly Iran’s IRGC officers at the Doha Defense Show”, adding: “We utterly reject their presence… as it is Iran that is [the] biggest threat to maritime stability in the Gulf region. Transactions related to Iranian weapons are generally sanctionable under multiple U.S. authorities”. View More 9 March 2022 The U.S. and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held Working Groups on Integrated Air and Missile Defence and Maritime Security in Riyadh. Participants denounced “Iran’s malign behaviour through proxies and direct use of advanced ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Iran has used these weapons and supported terrorist and other armed groups to conduct hundreds of attacks in the region”. They further emphasised “the importance of strengthening the ability of the GCC countries to collectively address these threats”, noting too “the importance of having advancing integrated defence initiatives” as well as prospective “joint training and exercises to prevent Iran from holding the region at risk”. View More 7 March 2022 A U.S. official reported that the Huthis on 5 March fired a missile into the Red Sea, adding: “Although maritime traffic was not impacted in this instance, these actions are destabilising and present a danger to all vessels transiting a critical international waterway”. View More 13 February 2022 The IRGC reported seizing “two vessels carrying smuggled fuel… [bound for] the Persian Gulf states”. View More 8 February 2022 Prime Minister Naftali Bennett indicated that “recently we have seen a rise in threats on the maritime front, in sailing and shipping lanes. I certainly see this as a threat, and we must know that the target is the State of Israel, but not only [the State of Israel]. Therefore, I am particularly pleased with the growing and solidifying strategic cooperation with the U.S. on joint naval exercises and with other allies in the region”. View More 23 January 2022 The U.S. Navy announced that on 18 January it “interdicted a stateless fishing vessel… transiting from Iran in waters outside of any state’s territorial sea along a route historically used to traffic weapons to the Huthis in Yemen”, adding: “U.S. forces discovered 40 tons of urea fertilizer, a chemical compound with agricultural applications that is also known to be used as an explosive precursor”. According to the statement, “the vessel, cargo and five Yemeni crewmembers” were handed over Yemeni authorities. View More 2 January 2022 UK Maritime Trade Operations said it had “received reports of an attack on an MV [motor vessel]… approximately 23 nautical miles west of Ras Isa Marine Terminal”. The Saudi-led coalition identified the vessel as the UAE-flagged Rwabee, accused the Huthis of “piracy and hijacking” and indicated that the ship had been “carrying medical field equipment”. The Huthis maintained that it had “entered Yemeni waters without authorisation” and bore “clearly military equipment”. The U.S. denounced the seizure, calling on “the Huthis to immediately release the ship and crew unharmed and to cease all violence that sets back the political process to end the war in Yemen”. View More 24 December 2021 The IRGC concluded a five-day drill by testing sixteen ballistic missiles as well as drones. Iran’s military chief of staff indicated that the drill had been “planned in advance, but the numerous, empty threats of the Zionist regime’s [ie, Israel] officials in recent days caused this exercise to take place at this time”. View More 21 December 2021 The IRGC tested “combat drones as well as sophisticated ballistic and cruise missiles” during military exercises off Iran’s southern coast; an IRGC naval commander asserted that the drill had a “message of peace” and maintained: “we the countries of the region can fully ensure the security of the Persian Gulf and shared waters via collective cooperation, and we do not need the presence of extra-regional countries at all”. View More 27 November 2021 CENTCOM reported that “a U.S. Navy vessel rescued two Iranian mariners… from a fishing vessel after it was adrift for eight days in the Gulf of Oman”. View More 23 November 2021 Defense Minister Benny Gantz highlighted two Iranian facilities that he asserted served as bases for UAV operations, noting that “most of the drone attacks that we’ve seen so far have been from southern and south-eastern Iran against targets at sea”. On the nuclear issue, Gantz maintained: “a diplomatic solution is preferable, but alongside that we need to have on the table the use of force… Sometimes the use of force, and a demonstration of it, is able to prevent the need for a stronger use of force”. View More 20 November 2021 The IRGC announced the seizure in Iranian waters of “a foreign ship carrying smuggled fuel”; the crew of eleven were detained. View More 20 November 2021 The IRGC Navy’s commander claimed Iran had “slap[ed] the Americans six times in one and a half years of confrontation, many of which have not been covered by the media yet”. “We in the IRGC Navy have sacrificed nine martyrs in direct battles with the Americans to defend the territory of our beloved country in the Persian Gulf… [and in return] we were able to give them nine memorable slaps”, he added. View More 15 November 2021 The Pentagon reported an “unsafe and unprofessional” interaction involving an Iranian helicopter and the USS Essex on 11 November. A spokesperson asserted that “there was no impact ultimately to the Essex’s transit or its operations”, and went on to assert: “when you have another armed force - in this case, the Iranian navy - that flies like this, you definitely run the risk of some sort of escalation and a miscalculation on either side here, and that’s not helpful. This one ended peacefully, but it doesn’t mean it was safe and professional. It absolutely wasn’t”. View More 9 November 2021 Iranian media claimed that the army had “intercepted two U.S. unmanned aerial vehicles that had penetrated into the country’s airspace during a military exercise, giving them stern warnings to stay away from the zone… the aircraft veered away and left the region shortly afterward”. View More 3 November 2021 Media reports cited unnamed U.S. officials as indicating that “several drones, believed to be Iranian, had come close to the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship Essex in the Strait of Hormuz”. View More 3 November 2021 The IRGC claimed to have “thwarted an attack by U.S. terrorist forces on an Iranian tanker to confiscate its oil in the Sea of Oman” on 25 October. The Pentagon called the account “totally false and untrue”, with a spokesperson asserting that “the only seizing that was done was by Iran”. The vessel in question was identified as MV Southys, sailing under a Vietnamese flag. View More 3 November 2021 The IRGC claimed to have “thwarted an attack by U.S. terrorist forces on an Iranian tanker to confiscate its oil in the Sea of Oman” on 25 October. The Pentagon called the account “totally false and untrue”, with a spokesperson asserting that “the only seizing that was done was by Iran”. The vessel in question was identified as MV Southys, sailing under a Vietnamese flag. The Vietnamese foreign ministry indicated that they would “continue to closely follow the developments and work closely with Iranian authorities to resolve this issue”. On 10 November, the IRGC announced the tanker’s release after unloading its oil cargo in Iran. View More 1 November 2021 The Iranian navy reported foiling “a pirate attack on one of the country’s oil tankers en route to the Gulf of Aden before entering Bab al-Mandab Strait”. View More 30 October 2021 The U.S. military announced that “one U.S. Air Force B1-B ‘Lancer’ aircrew flew a presence patrol mission in the Central Region that included several partner nation air forces”, including Bahrain, Israel and Saudi Arabia. According to CENTCOM, “the bomber task force mission – the fifth in U.S. Central Command’s area of operation this year – was intended to deliver a clear message of reassurance”, with a route that “originated in the Indian Ocean, flew over the Gulf of Aden, Bab al-Mandab Strait, Red Sea, Suez Canal, Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman before departing the region”. View More 26 October 2021 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), alongside with Bahrain, conducted a two-day drill which it said “marked the first time NAVCENT integrated USVs [unmanned surface vessels] with manned assets at sea… [and] the first time for NAVCENT’s integration of USVs with manned assets at sea alongside partner forces”. NAVCENT’s commander stated that “working with our regional partners on unmanned systems integration is crucial to enhancing collective maritime domain awareness… Bahrain, as our first regional partner to collaborate with Task Force 59 during an at-sea exercise, demonstrates the strengthening of our strategic relationship”. View More 16 October 2021 The commander of Iran’s navy reported that “the 78th naval fleet of the Islamic Republic of Iran, consisting of the Alborz destroyer, was attacked by five pirate boats… [in the Gulf of Aden] while escorting two Iranian tankers”. The attack was thwarted after “a heavy exchange of fire”, he added. View More 7 October 2021 The IRGC released footage purporting to show “an encounter between its speedboats and two U.S. vessels in the Persian Gulf”, wherein “the speedboats chase after the American vessels until they leave the area”. A U.S. military spokesperson was cited as saying “he wasn’t aware of any sort of unsafe interaction with Iran in the last two days”. View More 30 September 2021 Speaking alongside with his Bahraini counterpart in Manama, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid remarked that “together with all our friends in the Gulf, we are leading a brave coalition of moderates who are looking ahead to create a prosperous future of stability and tolerance… Those who are reclusive will disappear. Those who cooperate will lead both the world and the Middle East”. He went on to say that “our opportunities [with Bahrain] are shared, our threats are shared, and they are not far from here”. The two officials also met with the U.S. commander of NAVCENT, and held “a discussion on regional maritime security cooperation”. Iranian Foreign Minister Amirabdollahian subsequently warned that “Tel Aviv will bring nothing but insecurity for Bahrain and the region”, and a diplomatic spokesperson, who claimed that “this stain will not be erased from the reputation of Bahrain’s rulers”, argued that “the people of the region will continue to oppose the process of normalisation of ties”. View More 23 September 2021 Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson asserted that “there has been remarkable progress in the talks over security in the Persian Gulf… talks [between Tehran and Riyadh] have never stopped and messages have been exchanged in proper level after the new administration in Iran took office”. He further said that “if Saudi Arabia pays serious attention to Iran’s message that the solution to the region’s problems lies in the region itself and there should be an inclusive regional solution, the two countries may have a good, sustainable relationship”. View More 8 September 2021 The U.S. military announced the formation of Task Force 59, based at Naval Forces Central Command. The commander of NAVCENT explained that “we need to get unmanned systems out into the fleet”, and indicated that the objective was to “enhance our maritime domain awareness and to increase our deterrence”. View More 31 August 2021 The U.S. and Israeli navies concluded a “combined maritime security patrol in the Red Sea”. View More 25 August 2021 Israel’s defence minister indicated that “our assessment is that the UAV employed in the [July 2021] Mercer Street attack was launched from Iranian territory and approved by Iranian leadership”. View More 9 August 2021 Addressing a UN Security Council session on maritime security, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the 29 July attack on the M/T Mercer Street off the coast of Oman, asserting that “we are confident that Iran conducted this unjustified attack, which is part of a pattern of attacks and other provocative behaviour”. “It is on all of our nations to hold accountable those responsible”, Blinken added. “Failing to do so will only fuel their sense of impunity and embolden others inclined to disregard the maritime order”. Iran’s UN representative rejected the claims, insisting that “there is no irrefutable, verifiable and conclusive evidence” of Iranian involvement and contending that “it is an open secret that Israel is the master in conducting false flag operations”. View More 6 August 2021 The U.S. military announced that an investigation into a 29 July drone attack against a tanker off the coast of Oman had concluded that the “UAV was produced in Iran”. The same day, the U.S. joined other G-7 in a statement condemning the attack as “deliberate and targeted”, adding: “Iran’s behaviour, alongside its support to proxy forces and non-state armed actors, threatens international peace and security. We call on Iran to stop all activities inconsistent with relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and call on all parties to play a constructive role in fostering regional stability and peace”. Responding to the statement, Israel’s foreign minister asserted that “Iran isn’t just an Israeli problem, it’s a global problem. It’s time for the world to hold the Iranian regime to account”. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett subsequently contended that following the G-7 statement “it has become a test of actions and not just statements”, adding: “Iran constitutes a clear danger to the stability of the region and the peace of the world and the world must not accept this. The Iranians need to understand that it is impossible to continue running amok without paying a price”. View More 4 August 2021 Israel’s defence and foreign ministers told UN Security Council ambassadors that the Israeli government had “acted in all possible diplomatic and security channels in order to call on the international community to set clear boundaries for Iran and to cease its aggressive conduct”, underscoring that “Israel will maintain the right to act independently in the face of any attack or threat” and also noting that “action may be taken through the UN Security Council or any other international framework that will hold Iran accountable for its actions”. Defence Minister Benny Gantz named two Iranian IRGC officials whom he said were involved in Iranian drone operations, including the 29 July attack against the M/T Mercer Street, and, further asserting that Iran “is only ten weeks away from acquiring weapons-grade materials necessary for a nuclear weapon”, contended: “It is time for diplomatic, economic and even military deeds – otherwise the attacks will continue”. The same day, Iran sent a letter to the UN Security Council characterising the Israeli claim as “factually wrong and politically and ethically irresponsible”. View More 3 August 2021 United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) issued a warning notice regarding a “potential hijack” off the UAE coast; industry sources reported that a Panama-flagged tanker had been boarded by “armed forces… directing it towards Iran”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson maintained that “reports on the occurrence of successive security incidents for ships in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman is completely suspicious”; An IRGC spokesperson also characterised the report as “psychological warfare”. The following day, the UKMTO reported that “boarders have left the vessel… incident complete”. View More 3 August 2021 Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett asserted: “regarding the ship and the Iranian issue in general: We are working on enlisting the world but at the same time, we also know how to act alone. Iran already knows the price that we exact when someone threatens our security. The Iranians need to understand that it is impossible to sit peacefully in Tehran and from there ignite the entire Middle East”. “Against Iran, speeches are not enough”, Bennett added. View More 29 July 2021 Two people were killed in an incident aboard the M/T Mercer Street, a Japanese-owned ship managed by Zodiac Maritime, UK-based company owned by an Israeli businessman. Zodiac Maritime reported that “at the time of the incident, the vessel was in the northern Indian Ocean”, and that it had subsequently travelled “to a safe location with a U.S. naval escort”. The U.S. military indicated that “initial indications clearly point to a UAV-style [ie, drone] attack”. Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid asserted that “Iran is not just an Israeli problem, but an exporter of terrorism and instability that harms us all. The world must not be silent in the face of Iranian terrorism that also harms freedom of shipping”. Iran’s foreign ministry denied involvement in the attack, accusing Israel of “bogus allegations”. View More 30 June 2021 Iran’s navy commander indicated that “while the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman are a safe and stable region, in recent years we have witnessed increased insecurity in the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, and that’s why we do not understand the [reason for] the presence of coalition forces in the Persian Gulf. We believe that the main purpose of their presence is to undermine dialogue between the effective [regional] navies”. Referring to U.S. and European deployments, he further noted that “we monitor and keep a watchful eye on all their movements and vessels, even from a far distance… [and] believe that such uncalled-for security combinations do not enhance collective security and should be suspended”. Relatedly, GCC officials met with a senior U.S. naval official and, according to a GCC readout, “stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation in maritime security”. View More 2 June 2021 The Kharq, an Iranian navy vessel used for logistics and training, sank off the coast of Jask; a military spokesperson said a fire “had started from the engine house” and proved uncontainable. View More 29 May 2021 An Indonesian official announced the release of an Iranian tanker seized in January over “the suspected illegal transfer of oil”; Tehran had described the ship’s detention as stemming from “a technical issue”. View More 18 May 2021 Commenting on “tensions between Israel and Iran… in the Gulf and the Red Sea”, CENTCOM Commander Kenneth McKenzie maintained that the “low level engagement that’s continued over a period could certainly lead to an expansion of hostilities and some miscalculation or provocation could occur there. And we watch that very closely”. He further was asked about the idea of a hotline with Iran and maintained: “It takes two sides that want to have that happen for that to occur… In general, it is a good thing to be able to communicate. It decreases the probability of miscalculation. It allows military to military communications, which can often reduce tensions”. View More 10 May 2021 The Pentagon announced that “thirteen ‘fast boats’ with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy precariously approached U.S. Navy and Coast Guard vessels that were operating in the Strait of Hormuz. After those ships failed to heed warnings to move away to a safe distance, the U.S. fired warning shots”. A spokesperson asserted that “harassment by the IRGC Navy is not a new phenomenon… this kind of activity is the kind of activity that could lead to somebody getting hurt, and could lead to a real miscalculation in the region, and that doesn’t serve anybody’s interests”. The IRGC Navy asserted that the U.S. was “making false and unrealistic allegations”, and contended that the “Americans must strictly abide by international regulations and the laws of navigation”. The IRGC statement further characterised “the illegal, unprofessional and high-risk behavior of foreign forces, especially the U.S. Navy Fleet, which poses a threat to the maritime security of this sensitive area, as their red line”. View More 8 May 2021 The U.S. Navy announced that it had “seized an illicit shipment of weapons from a stateless dhow in international water of the North Arabian Sea”. The contents “included dozens of advanced Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles, thousands of Chinese Type 56 assault rifles and hundreds of PKM machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket-propelled grenade launches”. Media reports citing an unnamed U.S. defence official indicated that “the Navy’s initial investigation found the vessel came from Iran”, and purportedly intended for Yemen. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson denied the claim and asserted that “Iran has only a diplomatic presence in Yemen”. View More 3 May 2021 A Pentagon spokesperson indicated that “we have… made clear through diplomatic channels our concerned [sic] about IRGC navy activities”, adding: “The IRGC’s not the Iranian state navy and doesn’t have the same reporting structure as the Iranian state navy. Our interactions with the Iranian state navy have remained professional, but that’s a whole different reporting chain up to the elected government, and the IRGC doesn’t report along those same lines”. He further maintained that “you don’t need a hotline with the IRGC to communicate”, adding: “I don’t believe that there’s a need, nor… I would suspect no appetite for any sort of operational or strategic communication between us and the IRGC. We have diplomatic channels that we work through appropriately to communicate our displeasure to Tehran”. The spokesperson asserted that “our commanders at sea have the right and responsibility to defend themselves against threats”, and noted: “This incident [on 26 April]… did finally result in what ended up finally breaking the fever… Nobody wants to even see it come to that”. View More 30 April 2021 IRGC navy commander Alireza Tangsiri asserted that “every ship that enters the Persian Gulf is monitored in the Strait of Hormuz, citing the law on channel control, and is forced to introduce itself”. He also contended that the “strategic position of the Persian Gulf has to some extent led to regional challenges, including the fierce competition in the field of military arms sales… The wrong policies of some countries in the Persian Gulf have created a kind of market for the sale and trade of arms between the transregional and western countries in the Persian Gulf”. A U.S. defence official subsequently noted “no such requirement” regarding identification, adding: “It’s an international strait, and we continue to sail and operate in accordance with international law and international custom”. View More 29 April 2021 Discussing Iran-Israel tensions, CENTCOM Commander Kenneth McKenzie stressed that “it is not our desire to have a war with Iran. And we would hope it is not their desire to have a war with us… There is a low-level conflict that’s being fought out across the theater. But we do not intend to enter that conflict”. View More 27 April 2021 The U.S. Navy stated that the previous day, “three Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy fast inshore attack craft failed to exercise due regard for the safety of other vessels… as they came into close proximity to U.S. naval vessels in international waters of the north Arabian Gulf”. The navy reported that “U.S. crews issued multiple warnings… but the IRGCN vessels continued their close range maneuvers. The crew of [USS] Firebolt then fired warning shots, and the IRGC vessels moved away to a safe distance”. It went on assert that “the IRGCN’s actions increased the risk of miscalculation and/or collision”, and underscored that “our commanding officers retain the inherent right to act in self-defence”. View More 27 April 2021 CENTCOM Commander Kenneth McKenzie assessed that “the activities we usually see from the IRGC navy [in the Gulf] are not necessarily activities directed by the Supreme Leader from the Iranian state, rather irresponsible actions by local commanders on scene”. He added that “we are very careful so as not to get into a provocative cycle as a result of that. Luckily our guys are very good… and they’re able to de-escalate”. Referring to Iranian naval mines, McKenzie noted that it was “an area of significant concern to me, given Iran’s number of mines, their proximity to the Strait of Hormuz and the difficulty of minesweeping in a congested waterway”. View More 26 April 2021 Media reports citing U.S. navy officials indicated that on 2 April, “a group of boats from Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps harassed two U.S. Coast Guard ships… in the Persian Gulf”. “The American crews issued multiple warnings over a three-hour period as the Iranian ships continued to buzz them… after approximately three hours of the U.S. issuing warnings and conducting defensive maneuvers, the IRGCN vessels maneuvered away from the U.S. ships and opened distance between them”, a U.S. navy spokesperson reported; according to the Fifth Fleet it was the first instance of an “unsafe and unprofessional” interaction involving Iranian and U.S. vessels since April 2020. View More 22 April 2021 U.S. CENTCOM Commander Kenneth McKenzie described the threat of sea mines as an “example of an Iranian asymmetric capability that they can employ against [the U.S.]”, and further assessed: “the Strait of Hormuz is a logical place for them to do that… There’s another area though that is also of concern to us and that’s the Bab al-Mandab in the Southern Red Sea where they might be able to do it through their Huthi proxies down there”. Relatedly, the commander of U.S. AFRICOM assessed that “Iranian military capabilities threaten sea-lanes through the Red Sea and our posture locations in the Horn of Africa. Iranian support to Yemen’s Huthis further jeopardises freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and increases tensions and instability in East Africa”. View More 13 April 2021 Meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, President Rouhani was quoted as contending that “allowing the Israeli regime a foothold in the Persian Gulf region is ‘dangerous’, given the fact that the regime is a ‘destabilising and provocative’ element”. In a separate conversation with the Qatari Emir, President Rouhani underlined “the need to resolve regional issues and crises, including the Yemeni crisis, through dialogue and negotiation”, adding: “the only successful way to ensure security, peace and stability in the region is resolving issues peacefully, responsibility and taking into account the collective interests, and we believe that militarism cannot resolve regional issues”. View More 13 April 2021 Media reports indicated that “a commercial vessel owned by an Israeli firm was attacked off the coast of the United Arab Emirates”. Initial accounts in the Israeli press indicated that “officials in Jerusalem believe Iran is responsible”, while the ship, identified as Hyperion Ray, was said to have sustained “a small amount of damage”. View More 9 April 2021 Iran’s foreign ministry confirmed the release of a South Korean oil tanker seized by the IRGC in January, purportedly “due to the violation of environmental rules”. “Following the completion of the investigation into the violation of the Korean ship and at the request of the owner and the Korean government for the release, the prosecutor ordered the release of the ship”, the spokesperson noted. View More 7 April 2021 Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that an Iranian ship, the Saviz, was hit the day before by an explosion in the Red Sea, causing “minor damage with no casualties”. “The Saviz civilian ship was stationed… to provide maritime security along the shipping lanes and to fight pirates”, the ministry added, placing the incident near the Djibouti coast. Washington denied involvement in the incident, while media reports citing a U.S. official indicated that “the Israelis had notified the U.S. that its forces had struck the vessel… [in] retaliation for earlier Iranian strikes on Israeli vessels”. View More 14 March 2021 Asked about Israel’s involvement in a 12 March “terrorist attack” on an Iranian cargo vessel, Defence Minister Benny Gantz maintained that “I’m not saying anything about what we did or didn’t do. We have an obligation to be preemptive on all fronts… By land, they [ie, Iranians] are supporting militias in Iraq and Syria – and by air and sea, they are sending weapons to Lebanon”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson subsequently contended that “given the geographical location of the attack it is possible that this terrorist act was carried out by the Zionist regime [ie, Israel]”. He further asserted that “Iran would consider all options when it finds out who has been involved in this operation, and will resort to them to protect its legitimate rights”. View More 12 March 2021 An Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines spokesperson asserted that an Iranian cargo vessel bound for Europe, Shahr-e Kord, had on 10 March been “damaged in [a] terrorist attack in the international waters of the Mediterranean sea”. He further stated that “such terrorist acts amount to naval piracy, and are contrary to international law on commercial shipping security, and legal action will be taken to identify the perpetrators”. The announcement came one day after media reports citing U.S. officials suggested that since 2019 Israel had “targeted at least a dozen vessels bound for Syria and mostly carrying Iranian oil”. View More 1 March 2021 Commenting on a 26 February explosion on an Israeli-owned vessel in the Gulf of Oman, Prime Minister Netanyahu contended that “this was indeed an operation by Iran”, while asserting: “Iran is Israel’s biggest enemy. I am determined to fend it off. We are striking at it all over the region”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson denied any involvement in the incident, adding: “the security of the Persian Gulf is extremely important for Iran and we will not allow them to spread fear in the region by such accusations”. He further noted that Iran was “monitoring all the actions made by the [Israeli] regime in security zone of Iran in the past few months, and we will give a response where it happens”. View More 25 February 2021 Iran’s navy commander remarked that “the navy of the army has a strong presence in the Red Sea and escorts the tankers of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which are threatened by proxy terrorist groups to make sure the vessels safely cross the Bab al-Mandeb Strait to the Red Sea”. He further asserted that “the enemies wanted to close the ports on us in the first phase, and in the second phase to close the seas and sea routes to our trade ships and oil tankers… the deployment of the navy had disrupted all of the enemy’s equations at sea”. View More 16 February 2021 Against the backdrop of a joint Russian-Iranian naval drill, a senior Iranian military official remarked that “the North Indian Ocean is located between three of the world’s five strategic straits and, in fact, surrounds the world’s energy, doubling the need for maritime security due to the move of merchant vessels and tankers in this sensitive area”. View More 15 February 2021 Meeting with the Qatari foreign minister in Tehran, President Rouhani asserted that “we remain committed to the Hormuz Peace Endeavour (HOPE) initiative and believe that peace and stability in the region will not be achieved except through cooperation and dialogue between the countries of the region, and it is the countries of the region that must decide for their own”. View More 4 February 2021 Iran’s defence minister asserted that “Iran does not welcome militarisation of the [Indian Ocean] region and is concerned about unconstructive arms races, accumulation of weapons and transformation of the region into a weapons arsenal”. He further cautioned against what he described as “U.S. and Israeli attempts to use terrorism as a tool to extend their influence in the region”, while voicing “Iran’s willingness to play a more significant and active role in maintaining the security of the Indian Ocean region”. View More 2 February 2021 Iran released the crew of the Hankuk Chemi, a South Korean-flagged tanker seized on 4 January for having caused “environmental pollution”. View More 24 January 2021 Indonesian officials announced the seizure of “an Iranian tanker and Panamanian tanker suspected of carrying out the illegal transfer of oil”. Acknowledging the incident, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson described it as a “technical issue”. View More 22 January 2021 Foreign Minister Javad Zarif maintained that Iran would “respond positively to any initiative for regional dialogue advanced in good faith”. He also contended that “neither the U.S. nor its European allies have the prerogative to lead or sponsor future talks. Rather, the Persian Gulf region needs an inclusive regional mechanism to encourage diplomacy and cooperation and to lower the risk of miscalculation and conflict”. He further referred to Iran’s Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE) proposal and said: “The invitation is still on the table”. View More 18 January 2021 South Korean media reports citing a diplomatic source indicated that South Korea had “moved its anti-piracy naval unit operating near the Strait of Hormuz away from the waterway to foster a positive mood ahead of negotiations with Iran over a seized oil tanker and its sailors”. View More 15 January 2021 The IRGC test fired ballistic missiles and drones during a military exercise in central Iran. A senior IRGC official claimed that “through the combination of new missile capabilities and drone operation with artificial intelligence, today a new power was born in the IRGC”. On the second day of the drill, a senior IRGC official reported that “various classes of long-range ballistic missiles were launched in the final stage of the war game… to detonate the hypothetical enemy’s warships from a distance of 1,800km north of the Indian Ocean”. IRGC Commander Hossein Salami maintained that “these exercises are held so that the enemies do not make mistakes in their calculations or estimation about Iran's defence power”. View More 13 January 2021 Against the backdrop of war games in the Gulf of Oman, Iran’s military chief of staff, Mohammad Baqeri, announced that Iran would “once again include the Red Sea in the list of zones for its naval patrol operations after a series of limited actions against Iranian trade vessels”. On the second day of the military exercise, Iran’s navy commander asserted that “our approach today is not just defensive. We are prepared for whatever offensive operation [as well]”. The same day, the Iranian army reported spotting a foreign submarine approaching the drill zone, which “left the region immediately after being traced”. View More 11 January 2021 IRGC Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri maintained that “the naval forces of the IRGC and the Iranian Army are present in the Persian Gulf and this presence continues through the southern waters to the Indian Ocean”, emphasising that “[they] are fully prepared against any aggression”. View More 8 January 2021 The IRGC inaugurated an underground missile base on Iran’s southern coast. IRGC Commander Hossein Salami remarked that “this is one of the several facilities for keeping the strategic missiles of IRGC naval force in which a column of missiles and launching systems are deployed… With a range of hundreds of kilometers, these missiles have pinpointing and high destruction capability to penetrate into the enemy’s electronic war equipment”. He further asserted that “our enemies do not accept the power of logic, but rely on the logic of power. Therefore, we have no option but to strengthen the defensive and offensive deterrent power for preventing the imposition of their hegemonic will and plots”. View More 8 January 2021 U.S. Central Command announced that it had dispatched two B-52H bombers to “the Arabian Gulf and back to send a clear deterrent message”. “The temporary deployment, the fourth in the last two months… is one element of a robust U.S. defensive posture that includes the USS Nimitz (CVN-68) aircraft carrier and other assets”, the statement added. A U.S. military spokesperson emphasised that “America doesn’t seek conflict… This mission is a measured approach to demonstrate that we are committed to the defence of our forces in the region and are capable of responding to any aggression on short notice”. View More 7 January 2021 IRGC Commander Hossein Salami warned that “the enemy should be careful about its miscalculations in the region”, adding: “We have rolled up our sleeves for the security of Persian Gulf”. View More 4 January 2021 Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson maintained that “the actions and moves and some mischief of the U.S. are not hidden from our eyes, and our intelligence, security and military services are fully aware of the seemingly secret moves of the U.S. in the region and Iraq”. “The messages have been clearly conveyed to Washington and the countries of the region”, he added, while reiterating “the role of the agents and allies of the Zionist regime [ie, Israel] can be seen in some tensions, especially in Iraq”. View More 4 January 2021 The IRGC Navy announced that it had seized Hankuk Chemi, a South Korean-flagged tanker, and detained its crew of twenty because of “environmental and chemical pollution concerns”, for which Iran asked for compensation. The incident occurred in the Strait of Hormuz. The South Korean government called for “the early release of the ship”. A U.S. diplomatic spokesperson maintained that Iran “continues to threaten navigational rights and freedoms in the Persian Gulf as part of a clear attempt to extort the international community into relieving the pressure of sanctions. We join the Republic of Korea’s call for Iran to immediately release the tanker”. An Iranian government spokesperson subsequently argued that “if there is any hostage-taking, it is Korea’s government that is holding $7 billion, which belongs to us, hostage”. View More 3 January 2021 U.S. Acting Secretary of Defense Chris Miller announced that “due to the recent threats issued by Iranian leaders against President Trump and other U.S. government officials... the USS Nimitz will now remain on station in the U.S. Central Command area of operations”. “No one should doubt the resolve of the U.S.”, he added. View More 2 January 2021 The Iraqi military reported that it had dismantled a naval mine found attached to an Iraqi oil tanker. View More 31 December 2020 Iran wrote to the UN Security Council objecting to increased U.S. “military adventurism… in the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea”. “Coupled with a series of systematic disinformation campaign, unfounded accusations and inflammatory statements and threats… such confrontational measures have further deteriorated the already tense security environment of this highly volatile region”, the letter added. “If unchecked, such warmongering tendencies could escalate the situation to an alarming level, and it is self-evident that the U.S. shall bear the full responsibility for all consequences”. Relatedly, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif claimed that “intelligence from Iraq indicate plot to fabricate pretext for war”, asserting: “Iran doesn’t seek war but will openly and directly defend its people, security and vital interests”. Relatedly, media reports indicated that “the U.S. has seen increasing indications that Iran could be planning an attack against American forces or interests in the Middle East”, with an unnamed U.S. official describing Iran’s intentions as “difficult and at times unpredictable” to assess. View More 28 December 2020 Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani decried “the increase of U.S. army provocation in the region” and said: “These measures have increased entropy of insecurity and leads to harmful misunderstandings”. Relatedly, Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson indicated that Tehran “sent a message to the U.S. and its allies in the region that the U.S. should not resort to any new adventurism in the last days of” the Trump administration. He also responded to reports of an Israeli submarine reportedly en route to the Gulf and an Israeli military spokesperson indicating that “the IDF operates freely in the Middle East and that Israeli submarines sail to ‘different places, far and near’”, asserting: “Everyone knows very well how high the risk is raised if the red lines of Iran are crossed”. View More 21 December 2020 The U.S. Navy announced that “the nuclear-power Ohio-class guided-missile submarine USS Georgia (SSGN 729) along with the guided-missile cruisers USS Port Royal (CG 73) and USS Philippine Sea (CG 58) transited the Strait of Hormuz entering the Arabian Gulf”. Relatedly, media reports claimed that an Israeli submarine was en route to the Gulf in what was described as “a message to Iran”. The following day, CENTCOM Commander Kenneth McKenzie noted that “there are a lot of reasons for bringing a submarine into the straight into the Arabian Gulf… [it] is going to be on the surface. So you can take that for what it’s worth”. View More 19 December 2020 Speaking at a ceremony marking a rotation of Iranian forces, a senior Iranian naval official posited that “ensuring the security of Iran’s commercial transportation lines, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, conveying the message of peace and friendship of Iran to other countries present in the Gulf of Aden are among the missions of the Iranian naval flotilla”. View More 6 December 2020 A senior U.S. naval official assessed that “we have achieved an uneasy deterrence [with Iran]. That uneasy deterrence is exacerbated by world events and by events along the way… But I have found Iranian activity at sea to be cautious and circumspect and respectful, to not risk unnecessary miscalculation or escalation at sea”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson responded: “We are happy that the other party has got the message and made its behaviour more respectful”, while deeming the U.S. presence in the region as the “main source of tension”. View More 21 November 2020 The IRGC detained “a foreign vessel with Panamanian nationality… in the Persian Gulf, while it was loading the smuggled fuel”. View More 19 November 2020 Speaking at the unveiling of an “ocean-going, helicopter and drone-carrying warship”, IRGC Commander Hossein Salami asserted that “we will not be limited to any specific geography to defend our security and vital interests and if anyone wants to threaten the interests of this nation and great country, certainly he/she will not find a safe point on Earth”. “We are never the first to threaten any country; but this defensive strategy has always been accompanied by offensive tactics”, Salami added. View More 10 November 2020 Secretary of State Mike Pompeo approved “the UAE’s proposed purchase of several advanced [defence] capabilities that are worth $23.37b”, explaining that the decision “is in recognition of our deepening relationship and the UAE’s need for advanced defense capabilities to deter and defend itself against heightened threats from Iran”. Pompeo added: “The UAE’s historic agreement to normalise relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to positively transform the region’s strategic landscape. Our adversaries, especially those in Iran, know this and will stop at nothing to disrupt this shared success”. View More 22 October 2020 The U.S. and the UAE launched a strategic dialogue, which they jointly stated was in part “meant to underline the importance of U.S.-UAE defence coordination to deter military threats through joint planning, training, exercises and interoperability of equipment”. View More 20 October 2020 Speaking at a UN Security Council session on the “situation in the Persian Gulf region”, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif asserted that “we need collective efforts by regional countries to establish inclusive dialogue and security networking in this region”. He also called for “a strong region that precludes hegemonic illusions by any power- regional or global”, adding that “together we can envisage a broad spectrum of cooperation and confidence-building measures”. At the same session, the U.S. representative argued that “the international community does not need yet another mechanism to promote Gulf security. The Security Council has all the tools at its disposal to hold Iran accountable; we must simply decide to do so”. View More 20 October 2020 Defense Secretary Mark Esper remarked that “so many of the countries in the region recognise that the biggest concern they have, we have too, is Iran and its maligned behaviour through that region… The vision would be to have some type of security construct out there, where countries on the peninsula, Israel and others, are working together to deter conflict with Iran”. He also noted that “all of those countries have an interest, certainly have concerns – freedom of navigation through the Persian Gulf, freedom of commerce, threats to the sovereignty of the countries… countries are recognizing that reality and they’re seeing the other possible benefits, as well, of normalisation”. View More 19 October 2020 Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami discussed the expiry of UN arms restrictions on Iran and maintained that “the ground for selling and buying weapons is prepared for the Islamic Republic of Iran, but of course, the sales will be more”. “There must not be an arms race, as this would turn the region into a powder keg”, Hatami emphasised, adding: “we are ready to sign military and security agreements with the countries of the Persian Gulf in order to strengthen regional stability”. He further warned that “the normalisation of relations of the UAE and Bahrain with the Zionist regime [ie, Israel] is a direct threat to the security of the Persian Gulf region”, and “any Israeli threat coming from the Persian Gulf will face a clear and direct response”. Hatami went on to affirm that “the Islamic Republic will not negotiate with the U.S. regarding its missile systems”. View More 15 October 2020 The U.S. Navy confirmed that one of its destroyers had assisted a distressed Iranian-flagged vessel in the Arabian Sea. View More 14 October 2020 A senior Iranian diplomat insisted that the “Persian Gulf’s security is an issue of common interest for all regional countries… the establishment of sustainable security in the region is contingent upon dialogue and collective cooperation among regional countries and non-interference by foreign powers”. “Instead of deploying troops and military equipment or selling massive amounts of arms to certain regional countries”, he added, “European countries had better tackle the root cause of tensions in the region, namely the U.S.’s destructive and wrong policies in the Persian Gulf region”. View More 23 September 2020 A senior IRGC official cautioned that “Iran will not just retaliate any U.S. attempt to inspect Iranian ships in international waters, but also give a decisive response to such moves in sensitive places… They will face our massive fire”. He further insisted that “the U.S. will not succeed to achieve its objective of imposing [an] arms ban against Iran”. View More 23 September 2020 IRGC Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri indicated that during a “tracing operation, [the USS] Nimitz aircraft carrier along with escorting warships… were identified and traced [by Iranian drones] before entering the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf” on 18 September. View More 23 September 2020 The IRGC inaugurated a new naval base east of the Strait of Hormuz. IRGC Commander Hossein Salami asserted that “with the opening and unveiling of this base, the country’s combat operations, ship operations, reconnaissance, as well as defensive and offensive operations in the Persian Gulf, will further develop”. View More 21 September 2020 A senior Iranian navy official cautioned that a U.S. “aircraft carrier [ie, USS Nimitz], two cruisers and a number of destroyers are in the Persian Gulf. They are close to us and, if need be, we will definitely put them in the crosshairs”. View More 11 September 2020 The Iranian military asserted that “three U.S. aircraft… including P-8 Poseidon and MQ-9 and RQ-4 drones, were intercepted” by an Iranian drone after entering a drill zone, prompting them to withdraw. View More 9 September 2020 Prior to a military drill near the Strait of Hormuz, a senior Iranian military official posited that “the security of West Asia and its strategic waters depends on the localisation of the security and constructive cooperation between all regional countries and not allowing transregional forces to be present in the regional waters”. “The enemies of the Islamic Republic should know that in case they commit any strategic mistake, the geography of battle and the stage of Iran’s response to their measures will not be limited to the West Asian region”, he warned. The drill kicked off the following day. An Iranian military spokesperson indicated that Iran’s Air Force had notified “all foreign drones flying near the exercise site to leave”, and claimed that “since then, we have been witnessing a noticeable change in the activities of U.S. drones”. View More 24 August 2020 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Jerusalem and met with senior Israeli officials. During a joint press appearance, Prime Minister Netanyahu discussed the normalisation agreement between the U.S., Israel and the UAE and underscored that “this is the alliance of the moderates against the radicals, against those who use violence and aggression to further their aims against those who believe that we can offer… a better future for our people through cooperation”. Secretary Pompeo noted that “we have a 20-plus year security relationship with the UAE as well… We will now continue to review that process to make sure that we’re delivering them with the equipment that they need to secure and defend their own people from this same threat from the Islamic Republic of Iran as well. We are deeply committed to doing that, to achieving that, and we’ll do it in a way that preserves our commitment to Israel as well”. During his visit, Pompeo also met with the UK Foreign Secretary and “discussed coordination on countering Iran’s destabilising influence in the region”. View More 20 August 2020 The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the UAE’s chargé d’affaires after UAE coast guards on 17 August reportedly opened fire at Iranian fishing vessels, killing two, and seized a boat (subsequently released, along with its crew). The ministry also announced that the same day “a UAE vessel was intercepted and its crew arrested by Iranian border guard boats for illegally entering Iranian waters”. On 8 October, a senior Iranian diplomat confirmed that the UAE had paid “blood money” for the two Iranian fishermen killed in the incident. View More 15 August 2020 Referring to the 14 August announcement of an agreement between the U.S., Israel and the UAE on “full normalisation of relations between Israel and the UAE”, President Rouhani indicated that “the rulers of the UAE should know that if they think they can get closer to the enemies of Islam and Iran, they can buy security for themselves, they have gone in the wrong direction… We warn them not to want to invite Israel to the region, in which case they will be treated differently”. The IRGC condemned the agreement as “shameful” and Iran’s Armed Forces warned that the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi “will face negative consequences of this shameful action like ousted Egyptian President Anwar Sadat”. The following day, Iran’s Chief of Staff remarked that “we consider any tension in the region as a consequence of this move” and urged the UAE to “leave the path that undermines its own security and the security of the region”. The Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) subsequently condemned Iran’s “threats” and asserted that “Iran must adhere to the UN Charter and refrain from interfering in the domestic affairs of other nations”. View More 14 August 2020 The U.S. Justice Department announced that acting upon a U.S. District Court seizure order, the U.S. had confiscated the cargo of four vessels, “a multimillion dollar fuel shipment by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC)… bound for Venezuela”. “With the assistance of foreign partners, this seized property is now in U.S. custody”, the statement added. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that “the proceeds from the Iranian gasoline, if successfully forfeited in U.S. courts, could now support the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund”. He further argued that “we are seeing more and more global shipping fleets avoiding the Iran-Venezuela trade due to our sanctions implementation and enforcement efforts”. Iran’s ambassador to Caracas reacted to the news by saying: “another lie and psychological warfare by the U.S.’s imperialism propaganda machine. The tankers are neither Iranians, nor their owners or flags have anything to do with Iran”. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif maintained that the “stolen booty wasn’t Iran’s… ship and flag weren’t ours either. Hollow, cheap propaganda doesn’t deflect from the miserable failure of U.S. diplomatic malpractice at the UN”. President Rouhani struck a similar note, asserting that “the news turned out to be a lie, and they did it to cover up their humiliation”. View More 13 August 2020 The International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) reported that it had on 12 August “monitored an incident involving Iranian forces who boarded a tanker in the international waters of the Gulf of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz”. The IMSC further asserted that “Iran’s use of its military forces to conduct an armed boarding of a commercial vessel in international waters constitutes a blatant violation of international law that undermines freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce… this type of reckless, aggressive behaviour by Iran destabilises the region and threatens the rules-based international order”. View More 30 July 2020 At the end of the Great Prophet-14 military exercise in the Strait of Hormuz, the IRCG issued a statement asserting that “in case of any aggression against Iran, the IRGC and other powerful defenders of the country will give a decisive and crushing response according to its defence strategy while protecting the independence, territorial integrity, security, national interests and geographical parts of the country, especially the Persian Gulf Islands”. It also maintained that the drill’s message “to neighbouring and friendly countries was peace and friendship as well as security for the region while the global arrogance [ie, the U.S.] received the message of the Iranian nation and Armed Forces’ preparedness, vigilance and steadfastness in the face of enemies’ plots and threats”. View More 28 July 2020 On the sideline of the Great Prophet-14 military exercise, IRGC Commander Hossein Salami asserted that “we do not initiate aggression on any country, but in tactics and operation, we are completely aggressive”. A senior IRGC official indicated that “anti-ballistic and cruise missiles… have been carried out [during the drill] and some surprising weapons and equipment such as long-range anti-ship ballistic missiles that can target ships from a long distance will be used”. CENTCOM confirmed that two bases hosting U.S. forces in Qatar and UAE went on alert due to ballistic missile fire from the drill. A U.S. Navy spokesperson argued that “Iran conducts offensive exercises, attempting to intimidate and coerce… While we are always watchful of this type of irresponsible and reckless behaviour by Iran in the vicinity of busy international waterways this exercise has not disrupted coalition operations in the area nor had any impacts to the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters”. View More 14 July 2020 CENTCOM Commander Kenneth McKenzie remarked that “we always look very carefully at threats to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz… through entities such as the International Maritime Security Construct, we’re able to ensure that commerce passes unimpeded and we’re able to shine a spotlight on malign activities that occur”. He added: “for the past several months it’s been pretty quiet, and we’re glad, and I believe that is actually due in large measure to the International Maritime Security Construct and to the flow of information, intelligence and knowledge that it’s allowed to pass between states that are pushing cargos through the Strait of Hormuz”. View More 5 July 2020 IRGC Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri maintained that “the IRGC Navy is present everywhere in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, in every place that the enemy would not even think about… All of our coasts are armed and the underground [missile] cities of the Army and the IRGC with various defense utilities have scattered over the entire southern coasts”. View More 27 June 2020 Saudi Arabia’s Border Guards revealed that on 25 June “three Iranian boats… entered Saudi waters, where they were immediately followed up and repeated warnings issued to them to stop, but they refused to respond”. The Saudi forces subsequently “fired warning shots, forcing the Iranian boats to retreat”. An Iranian official indicated that the ships were fishing boats that had gone off course. View More 22 June 2020 IRGC Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri announced that the “IRGC Navy has been notified to be present in the Indian Ocean permanently… [the] IRGC is looking to establish a permanent base in the Indian Ocean by the end of the current Iranian year [ie, March 2021]”. He went on to state that “we will provide a better platform for more special presence of fishermen and industrial fishing units in the oceans by providing security and establishing a permanent base in the Indian Ocean… the IRGC’s presence will be a powerful and strong presence”. View More 21 June 2020 IRGC Navy Commander Alireza Tangsiri remarked that “Iranian Armed Forces enjoy unrivaled power and superiority over enemies in the Persian Gulf, yet we believe that we have the message of peace and friendship to the Muslim Persian Gulf states and we can together establish brotherhood, peace and security in the Persian Gulf”. He further asserted that “the presence of foreigners in the region is meaningless and they should leave the region”. View More 18 June 2020 The Iranian navy announced that it had successfully tested new “short-range and long-range naval cruise missiles” during a military exercise. View More 18 June 2020 CENTCOM Commander Kenneth McKenzie maintained that the International Maritime Security Construct “is not part of our maximum pressure campaign against Iran”, and, making the point that the IMSC was not escalatory, argued: “since the IMSC's founding, there have not been any Iranian attacks on maritime shipping in the area and there haven’t even been any serious confrontations with Iranian maritime forces in the area of the Strait of Hormuz… Our presence makes deniable attacks less likely to succeed. So they've chosen not to try”. “The exposure of Iranian activities is a powerful tool and it's a non-kinetic and a de-escalatory tool that we routinely employ”, he added. “A clear result of the IMSC has been a result of the drawdown in tensions”. View More 29 May 2020 Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami emphasised that countries around the Gulf “are responsible for ensuring and maintaining security, and the neighbours’ move to allow the U.S. to enter the region is a strategic mistake”. He further noted “when the Persian Gulf region is safe, all regional countries will benefit from such security, but if the Persian Gulf becomes insecure, it will be insecure for all countries in the region”. View More 28 May 2020 Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami asserted that “with the delivery of [112] domestically-built offensive boats to the IRGC’s naval fleet, the security belt of the Persian Gulf, specially the strategic Strait of Hormuz, will be more tightened than before”. IRGC Commander Hossein Salami also emphasised that “we will not bow to enemies… Defence is our logic in war but not in the sense of passivity against the enemy. Our operations and tactics are offensive and we have shown it in the battlefield”. He went on to declare that “the most important and dangerous part of our power is unknown. Our enemies will see this power the day when they pursue an evil intention against this land… they will get to see the real firepower of our forces at the sea and in the sky, and the battlefield will turn into a hell for the enemies of Iran and Islam”. View More 25 May 2020 Commenting on U.S. military exercises in the Gulf, a senior IRGC official contended that the “holding of such drills cannot lead to their [ie, U.S.] continued presence in the region. The Americans are in a situation under which longer presence in the region would be to their detriment, because the regional countries despise the Americans”. He further argued that “if the Americans leave the region, the regional countries will be able to establish sustainable security through synergism, because security benefits all the regional countries and the Americans avail themselves of instability in the region”. View More 21 May 2020 Referring to a 19 May U.S. Navy warning, according to which “armed vessels approaching within 100m of a U.S. naval vessel may be interpreted as a threat”, the Pentagon underscored that “we have stated very clearly to individuals in the area to be careful and avoid our shops in the area… we’ve seen Iran violate that in an alarming and unprofessional way recently”. A spokesperson explained that “a determination was made that it would be helpful to provide a reminder, additional guidance to mariners in the area, to avoid U.S. warships and to set out a bright-line rule that would be a little bit clearer for them if there was any claims of possible confusion that they should not attempt to harass or approach or confront a U.S. warship sailing in international waters”. View More 20 May 2020 The U.S. Navy advised, with specific reference to the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea, that “due to recent events, in order to enhance safety, minimise ambiguity and reduce opportunities for miscalculations, all vessels are advised to maintain a safe distance of at least 100m from U.S. naval vessels in international waters and straits. Armed vessels approaching within 100m of a U.S. naval vessel may be interpreted as a threat and subject to lawful defensive measures”. An Iranian military official subsequently stated that “the naval units of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman will continue their regular missions in accordance with professional principles as in the past”. View More 18 May 2020 Multiple media reports citing unnamed intelligence officials suggested that Israel was behind a 9 May hack of an Iranian port facility. An Iranian official acknowledged that “some [minor] disruptions at the computer systems last week can be the result of a cyberattack”, though port officials maintained “there has been no disruption in operations” at the facility. View More 14 May 2020 The U.S. issued a sanctions advisory “to provide those engaged or involved in trade in the maritime industry and energy and metals sectors with further information and tools to counter current and emerging trends related to illicit shipping and sanctions evasion”, focusing on three countries including Iran and Syria. View More 14 May 2020 Following a fatal accident during a 10 May Iranian naval exercise, a U.S. Central Command spokesperson stated that “while we are troubled that this mishap occurred in such close proximity to a high-traffic international shipping lane and at a time when most of the region’s focus is on the fight against COVID-19, the unnecessary loss of life is regrettable”. The spokesperson also extended “sincere condolences to the Iranian people for the tragic loss of life”. View More 11 May 2020 Nineteen Iranian navy personnel were killed and another fifteen injured in an accident during a naval exercise off the country’s southern coast. Their vessel, Konarak, was reportedly struck by a missile fired by an Iranian warship. View More 11 May 2020 A senior Iranian official reported a cyberattack against a port at the Strait of Hormuz. Another official indicated that the incident was still under investigation. View More 5 May 2020 President Rouhani told Japanese Prime Minister Abe that “in the hard times of fighting coronavirus and its severe economic consequences, the U.S.’s illegal sanctions against the Iranian nation have intensified… we are facing many problems even in the field of medical equipment and food supply”. Rouhani further stated that “we are sorry that in recent weeks we have seen tensions created by the U.S. in Iraq and the Persian Gulf region, not to mention that tensions in the region have always begun by the U.S.” View More 30 April 2020 The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, referring to the 15 April naval interaction between Iranian and U.S. vessels, argued that “the Iranian swift boats that the IRGC operates exceeded the rules of maritime safety in international waters. The Iranian regime would like to desensitise us so that after doing it a number of times, they could then get within sufficient range to actually kill American soldiers. We're not gonna let that happen. We're going to enforce the rules of the road in international waters… As a matter of self defence, and protecting the lives of Americans, President Trump said that if they do it again the boats will be destroyed”. In related comments, Secretary of State Pompeo underscored that U.S. forces “have all the authority they need to do what’s right to defend themselves, no matter who it is that presents that risk to them”. View More 29 April 2020 On the occasion of “Persian Gulf Day”, President Rouhani asserted that “the Americans should know that the name of this gulf is ‘Persian Gulf’ and not the Gulf of New York and Washington, and this nation has been – and is – the guardian of the security of this waterway for thousands of years and they should not conspire against this nation every day”. “Let the enemies know that the Army, the IRGC and all Iranian law enforcement and military forces have been – and will be – the guardians of this waterway”, Rouhani added. In related remarks, the spokesman of the Iranian Armed Forces emphasised that “if [President Trump] is telling the truth about instructing U.S. troops to attack Iranian vessels in the Persian Gulf, they should know that the smallest move or a single violation of Iran’s interests or territorial waters will lead the trespassers to receive a slap in the face”. View More 29 April 2020 Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei opined that “the Persian Gulf region can be managed by a wise and rational collective policy that benefits all Persian Gulf countries. The factor that threatens such a proper, wise move is the presence of foreign forces in the region”. Asserting that the Iranian nation “should demonstrate its power” in the area, he further noted: “the Persian Gulf belongs to the nations living there. Its security is the duty of these nations, and Iran with its long coastlines has a key role in keeping the security of this region. By God’s grace we will do our part. This is our historical, geographical and regional duty”. View More 27 April 2020 In a statement, Iran’s Armed Forces argued that “dangerous behaviours that are disruptive to the security of shipping transit [in the Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Sea of Oman] began when some adventurous and terrorist countries such as the U.S. and a number of its allies tried to gain a foothold in this region. By increasing harmful traffic and establishing military bases, the U.S. has virtually become the source of insecurity and chaos in the region”. The statement added that Iran’s military “considers the presence of the U.S. and its allies illegitimate and the source of evil and insecurity… The only safe alternative to stabilise peace is the withdrawal of U.S. troops and their allies from the region”. The statement also underscored “Iran has not and will not initiate any tensions and conflicts in the region, but it will always defend its territorial integrity with readiness, strength and power, and it is obvious that any adventure and provocative actions will be responded [to] strongly”. View More 25 April 2020 In a conversation with the Emir of Qatar, President Rouhani noted that “Iran closely monitors and pursues the U.S.’s activities, but will never initiate any conflict or tension in the region”. Speaking with his Chinese counterpart two days later, President Rouhani indicated that “for Iran, the security of the region and waterways is important, but unfortunately, the dangerous behaviour of the U.S. may disrupt the stability of the Persian Gulf region”. View More 23 April 2020 U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper asserted that “the message needs to be loud and clear to the Iranians that if they threaten our warships, our commanders have the right of self-defence, and we will execute that right... they need to be mindful of how they conduct themselves and they need to conduct themselves professionally”. He further noted that “we are looking at modifications to our practices to make sure that Iranians know that they need to stay clear of our warships and of our personnel and we are not going to tolerate threatening behaviour”. In related remarks, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that “this administration behaves totally different than the previous one… [President Trump] has told the Iranian regime enough, we’re not going to permit this, we’re going to defend our soldiers, our sailors, our airmen and Marines. I think the Iranians understand that as well”. View More 22 April 2020 President Trump declared that he had “instructed the U.S. Navy to shoot down and destroy any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass our ships at sea”. Iranian IRGC Commander Hossein Salami subsequently announced that “we have ordered our naval units to target any vessel or combat unit of the terrorist U.S. forces who want to threaten the security of our non-combat ships or combat vessels”. Iran’s Foreign Ministry also summoned the Swiss ambassador, whose country represents U.S. interests in Iran, and gave him a letter in which “the U.S. administration has been reminded about the importance of observing international maritime safety regulations and shipping freedom”. View More 19 April 2020 Iran’s IRGC Navy issued a statement indicating that “in recent weeks, we have witnessed the recurrence of unprofessional behaviour of the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf threatening the security and stability of the region and posing new risks… Accordingly, IRGC has increased the capacity of its naval patrols in the waters of the Persian Gulf to prevent the continued illegal, unprofessional, dangerous and even adventurous behaviour of American terrorists, as well as to strengthen the security of domestic vessels and combat fuel smuggling”. The statement also rejected the U.S. account of a 15 April naval interaction between the two sides, asserting that the U.S. vessels had carried out “unprofessional and provocative actions”. It went to warn that “the IRGC navy and the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will consider the dangerous behaviour of foreigners in the region as a threat to their national security, and give a definite response to any computational error”. View More 15 April 2020 U.S. Naval Forces Central Command reported that “eleven Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) vessels repeatedly conducted dangerous and harassing approaches” toward six U.S. vessels “conducting joint integration operations with U.S. Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopters in the international waters of the North Arabian Gulf”. The statement assessed that “the IRGCN's dangerous and provocative actions increased the risk of miscalculation and collision”, adding: “U.S. naval forces continue to remain vigilant and are trained to act in a professional manner, while our commanding officers retain the inherent right to act in self-defence”. Iranian Minister of Defence Amir Hatami subsequently argued that “what creates insecurity in the Persian Gulf region is in fact the illegal and aggressive presence of Americans, who have come near our borders from the other side of the world”. View More 14 April 2020 United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that “a vessel had been boarded by armed men while at anchor” in the Gulf of Oman. Media reports indicated that the vessel was SC Taipei, a Hong Kong-flagged tanker. UKMTO subsequently confirmed the ship’s release, and added that the event was “assessed to be an isolated incident of state-based intervention, with no wider threat to maritime shipping in the region”. View More 26 March 2020 Lithuania signed on to the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), joining seven other countries in the U.S.-led initiative. View More 13 March 2020 CENTCOM commander Kenneth McKenzie announced that “the Secretary [of Defense] granted my request to continue to operate two carrier strike groups in the region, which is the first period of extended dual U.S. carrier operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility since April 2012”. View More 25 February 2020 The French military announced that “Operation Agenor, the military component of the European-led Maritime Situation Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH), has reached full operational capacity”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson subsequently reacted by describing the presence of external forces in the area as “unconstructive”. View More 16 February 2020 Discussing Iran’s Hormuz Peace Endeavour (HOPE) proposal, President Rouhani noted that “some regional countries welcomed it well and some others have not yet given an explicit response, but we still believe that it is the regional states that must help establish peace. We stress that all countries must enjoy security and stability in the region”. On Yemen, Rouhani underlined that “the Yemeni issues must be resolved by the Yemenis themselves and the countries that are carrying out acts of aggression toward the country must stop it”. He also asserted that Iran “oppose[s] war”, while adding that “Americans are not looking for war either”. View More 15 February 2020 At the Munich Security Conference, Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif underscored that “we have no intention of having trouble with any of our neighbours… We would run to the assistance of Saudi Arabia if anybody attacks Saudi Arabia”. Zarif added: “my message to my brothers: I’m not asking them to stop their relations with the U.S. That’s none of my business... What is our business is that the U.S. will not give you protection. Israel will not give you protection. You need to get protection from within. Security cannot be purchased”. He further accused Saudi Arabia of funding “every Iranian terrorist organisation”. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan indicated that “our message to Iran has been that once they are willing to admit that their regional behaviour is the main source of instability and that activities such as firing ballistic missiles at your neighbouring states is not contributory to security, then we can discuss the potential of talks”. View More 14 February 2020 The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued a notice indicating that “Iran has de-escalated its military posture in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman as of early February 2020… Given the de-escalation, the FAA assesses there is sufficient reduced risk of Iranian military miscalculation or misidentification that could affect U.S. civil aviation operations”. It further evaluated that “military posturing and political tensions in the region remain elevated, and there remains some inadvertent risk to U.S. civil aviation operations due to the potential for miscalculation or misidentification”. View More 13 February 2020 U.S. Central Command announced that on 9 February, U.S. forces in the Arabian Sea “boarded a dhow in accordance with international law and discovered a large cache of weapons”, including “150 'Dehlavieh' anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM)” and other materiel “of Iranian design and manufacture”. View More 2 February 2020 As a Japanese destroyer set sail for patrols in the Gulf of Oman and Bab al-Mandab, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe underscored that Japanese forces would “not come under [U.S.] command in military operations”, while sharing information on a daily basis. Iran’s embassy reiterated Tehran’s view that the “presence of foreign forces in the region will not contribute to security and stability”. View More 30 January 2020 France commenced naval patrols as part of the European Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH). View More 30 January 2020 The Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel announced that “the leadership of the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC) was transferred from the U.S. to the United Kingdom”. U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper stated that “we’ve described it as a U.S.-led effort, the IMSC, but clearly, we have many partners”. The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, maintained that “while the IMSC is separate from our maximum pressure campaign, it’s important that the international community ensure the safe – to safeguard global commerce and freedom of navigation throughout the region, which is where so much of the world’s oil supply flows through”. View More 21 January 2020 South Korea announced that “in consideration of the current situation in the Middle East, the government has decided to temporarily expand the Cheonghae [anti-piracy] Unit’s sphere of activity in order to guarantee safety of our people and the freedom of navigation of our vessels”; a defence official indicated that “we’ve made preparations for possible missions in the Hormuz Strait. But Cheonghae’s basic missions – anti-piracy activities and escorting ships – remain unchanged”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson indicated that Seoul had “informed us that it wants to dispatch a part of its fleet in Aden to the region for patrolling missions, but outside the U.S. coalition, and we have told them that the decision is unacceptable”. A Pentagon spokesperson indicated that “we welcome our South Korean allies helping to ensure freedom of navigation in the Middle East by supporting the IMSC”. View More 20 January 2020 Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Portugal jointly announced that they “politically support the creation of a European-led maritime surveillance mission in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH)”. “We welcome any contribution in kind as already declared by Denmark, France, Greece and the Netherlands to this effort and look forward to further commitments in the coming days”, the statement added, further maintaining that “the [UAE-based] EMASOH will constitute a useful instrument in safeguarding the freedom of navigation”. “EMASOH aims to foster de-escalation and to complement vital diplomatic efforts aiming at ensuring increased stability and an inclusive regional dialogue in a critical context”, the eight governments concluded. View More 19 January 2020 Iran’s IRGC seized three Kuwaiti fishing vessels and detained nine crew members, asserting that “the boats had illegally entered Iran’s territorial waters”. View More 17 January 2020 Foreign Minister Javad Zarif emphasised that "we are ready for negotiations with Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf littoral states and we are ready to give proposals regarding security in this region, particularly the Strait of Hormuz”. View More 17 January 2020 French President Emmanuel Macro, announced that “in the Arabian Peninsula and Arab-Persian Gulf, where tensions are mounting, we have deployed in record time the Jaguar Task Force, which contributes to reassuring the Saudi kingdom”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson subsequently reacted by asserting that “your military presence in the Persian Gulf is as wrong as your naming it. Both mistakes are huge but compensable”. View More 13 January 2020 The U.S. Maritime Administration issued a new advisory valid through November 2020 regarding commercial shipping in areas including the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz which noted that “multiple maritime threats have been reported in the geographic areas described above. Heightened military activity and increased political tensions in this region continue to pose serious threats to commercial vessels. Associated with these threats is a potential for miscalculation or misidentification that could lead to aggressive actions”. The advisory went on to caution that “Vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, and Gulf of Oman may also encounter GPS interference, bridge-to-bridge communications spoofing, and/or other communications jamming with little to no warning. Vessels have also reported bridge-to-bridge communications from unknown entities falsely claiming to be U.S. or coalition warships”. View More 8 January 2020 Iran detained two vessels allegedly smuggling diesel fuel; the crews were arrested. View More 6 January 2020 A U.S. maritime alert, active through 13 January, warned of “the possibility of Iranian action against U.S. maritime interests in the region”, specifying that “U.S. commercial vessels are advised to exercise caution and coordinate vessel voyage planning for transits of the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Oman, North Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Red Sea with NCAGS (U.S. Fifth Fleet Naval Cooperation and Guidance for Shipping)”. View More 5 January 2020 The UK Defence Minister announced that he had “instructed preparations for HMS Montrose and HMS Defender to return to accompanying duties of Red Ensign Shipping”. View More 2 January 2020 The head of the IRGC's Qods force, Qasem Soleimani, was killed in a U.S. strike in Baghdad. The U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that "at the direction of the President, the U.S. military has taken decisive defensive action to protect U.S. personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani”, adding that "Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region". Iran confirmed Soleimani’s death, and the IRGC said that four other Qods force members along with five Iraqis, notably including a senior Hashd official, were also killed in the operation. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei subsequently asserted that "enemies should bear in mind that the Islamic Republic of Iran will take tough revenge on criminals over the martyrdom of General Soleimani". View More 30 December 2019 The IRGC detained a vessel purportedly smuggling fuel, along with sixteen Malaysian crew members. View More 29 December 2019 Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif maintained that Iran’s trilateral drill with Russia and China "shows that Iran is willing to cooperate [with other countries] to ensure the security and the free passage of maritime traffic in the important international waterway of Hormuz". A senior Iranian navy official asserted that “the friends of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the region will be very happy with this move but those who seek to impose undesirable security arrangements, such as the Americans and their sidekicks, will receive a highly significant message from this drill”. “The era of inroads by the Americans in the region has ended and they have to gradually leave the region”, he added. The official further stressed that “the countries of the region can help establish security together and we hope that other countries will join us in the future”. View More 27 December 2019 A senior U.S. defence official predicted that Iran would likely “continue to perform provocative actions” in the region, adding that “they’ll look at every opportunity they can to do that”. He further maintained that “there’s nothing that suggests to me, short of a regime change there, that you have a different tone set from the leadership, that would suggest to me that they’re going to stop doing what they’ve been doing”. View More 27 December 2019 Iran, Russia and China held a trilateral naval drill in the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif asserted that “Iran has long stated its readiness to work with our neighbours to secure the Persian Gulf. HOPE (Hormuz Peace Endeavour) is on the table right now. Our joint military drills… with our Russian and Chinese partners make clear our broader commitment to secure vital waterways”. A senior Iranian navy official remarked that “the message of this exercise is peace, friendship and lasting security through cooperation and unity… and its effect will be to show that Iran cannot be isolated”. View More 27 December 2019 Japan’s cabinet agreed to deploy a destroyer and two patrol planes off the Yemeni and Omani coasts. A senior Japanese official explained that “peace and stability in the Middle East is extremely important for the peace and prosperity of the international community including Japan… Also, it is very important to make sure Japan-related ships can sail safely in the Middle East, the world’s major source of energy”. View More 22 December 2019 The Saudi foreign minister and the GCC secretary general signed a GCC Unified Military Command Headquarters Agreement in Riyadh. View More 21 December 2019 Following a trip to Japan, President Rouhani reported that “Japan supports Iran’s initiative that is the HOPE peace initiative… Japan has also announced that it will not take part in the Americans' plan for security in the region. We welcome both issues”. View More 19 December 2019 A French military spokesperson announced that “the Frigate Courbet will take part in the European maritime security initiative from the start of next year”. View More 15 December 2019 A senior IRGC commander indicated that “the IRGC navy checks and monitors foreign vessels entering the Persian Gulf and questions them about their nationality, the type of the vessels and their destination… The Persian Gulf belongs to Iran and other littoral states and we have the right to question the vessels, because the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz is located in Iran’s territorial waters”. View More 15 December 2019 In remarks at the Doha Forum, Iran’s Foreign Minister Javad Zarif called for “recognition of the imperative of a regional security and cooperation arrangement under the UN umbrella”, adding that “the Hormuz Peace Endeavour – or HOPE – is a continuation of our longstanding commitment to an inclusive and comprehensive regional framework for constructive engagement”. He also noted that “like the nuclear accord, no good idea can be pursued by only one party… While everyone could have benefited from the paradigm shift that the JCPOA promised – as a foundation and not a ceiling – it cannot be expected from a single party to be forthcoming while others are pursuing an opposite path”. View More 12 December 2019 The Danish government announced that it would provide “a staff officer contribution from the beginning of 2020 and - subject to parliamentary approval in 2020 - a naval contribution beginning in the fall of 2020” to the European-led mission in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH). Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod noted that “our contribution will complement other efforts in the region, including the U.S.-led maritime security construct”, adding that “the European-led mission is also expected to be supplemented by diplomatic efforts aimed at enhancing regional dialogue on maritime security”. View More 10 December 2019 Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister was cited as asserting that “the Iranian threat is a threat to everyone… There is an understanding by the GCC countries on the importance of dealing with the threat and confronting it in the necessary ways”. He also called on Iran to “change its behaviour in attacking ships in the Gulf, supplying militias with weapons, financing terrorism and destabilising countries”. View More 10 December 2019 Addressing a GCC summit, Saudi Arabia’s King Salman remarked that “our region today is undergoing circumstances and challenges that call for concerted efforts to confront them, as the Iranian regime continues its hostile actions to undermine security and stability and support terrorism… [This] requires us to preserve the gains of our countries and the interests of our peoples, work with the international community to stop the interference of this regime, deal seriously with its nuclear program and the program to develop ballistic missiles and secure energy sources, safety of waterways and freedom of maritime navigation”. View More 7 December 2019 U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper noted that the “[we] continually assess the situation and make sure we have the right degree of forces in position to deter Iranian bad behaviour, and if necessary, to respond and respond forcefully in a way that they understand that we're serious about defending our friends, reassuring our allies and preventing them from misbehaving”. Asked whether he believed that “the threat from Iran is increasing”, Esper replied: “I think you could make that assessment given the effectiveness of the maximum pressure campaign, given what's happening in the streets of Iran these days… you see a regime increasingly under stress. I think we need to be prepared for any contingency”. He further maintained that “there have been reports in the public space about rockets being fired at American forces on bases in Iraq. So we've seen a little bit of an uptick there. And that's, again, another indicator for us of Iran reaching out”. “As they experience more stress, I need to be ensured that we have sufficient forces on the ground again, to reassure our allies help defend them, defend the international order and deter Iranian bad behavior”, Esper added. View More 6 December 2019 Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, indicated that “we will not allow Iran to produce or obtain nuclear weapons. If the only option left to us is the military option, we’ll act militarily”. He went on to assert that “the actions against Saudi Arabia [on September 14] and the oil tankers make us understand that Iran still feels strong. Our intelligence information tells us that it intends to hit the Gulf countries again. The threat of sanctions is not enough. The only deterrent is a military threat directed against the regime”. “U.S. pressure and sanctions are effective”, Katz added. “We expect Iran’s attempts to procure nuclear weapons and support terrorist groups to decline, but this will be easier if there is support from European countries. As long as the Iranians delude themselves that they have the support of Europe, it will be more difficult for them to bend”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson subsequently reacted by stating that “we regard the threats made by the Israeli regime as a sign for its weakness and its effort to conceal the crisis its leaders are facing presently”. View More 4 December 2019 A senior U.S. defence official reported that there had been “indications… that potential Iranian aggression could occur”. “We’ve sent very clear and blunt signals to the Iranian government about the potential consequences of aggression”, he added. View More 3 December 2019 A senior Indian official confirmed that Iran had repatriated three Indian fisherman whose Saudi-owned vessel had been detained in January 2019. View More 3 December 2019 Meeting with the Omani foreign minister in Tehran, President Rouhani remarked that “from the Islamic Republic of Iran’s point of view, there is no problem with expanding relations with neighbours and resuming ties with Saudi Arabia… All countries should stand beside each other to maintain security and stability in the region”. Referring to Iran’s Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE) proposal, Rouhani asserted that “we should maintain security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz through expanding cooperation and we should not let foreigners interfere”. View More 2 December 2019 In a meeting with his Omani counterpart, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif underlined that “Iran will welcome any move or initiative that is based on good will and is after reducing tensions in the region”. Iranian Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani also met with Omani foreign minister and emphasised that “the only coalition which is practical in the region and can bring stable security is the one acting without foreigners’ interference… Those countries with the most significant role in sowing tensions, spreading terrorism and igniting wars in the region have never sought peace in the Persian Gulf and are only looking for their own interests”. View More 29 November 2019 U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicated that “President Trump’s strategic effort certainly includes sanctions as an element of our efforts to make the [Iranian] leadership change their ways. But it is only one component, we think that has been an effective component, we think they are having to make very difficult choices about whether to feed their people, to provide medicine for their people or if they want to underwrite the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza or Hizbollah in Lebanon”. “We hope they will begin to make the right decision, we hope the people in Iraq will force them to make the right decision”, he added. Pompeo went on to elaborate that “our campaign has also been political and diplomatic, to get countries around the world to recognise Iran as the largest state sponsor of terrorism.… We are trying to unite the world alongside us, including the Europeans, who have taken a very different approach on the JCPOA, and President Trump is working to ensure that the Islamic Republic of Iran knows that they cannot engage in an activity like they have without there being a cost”. He additionally referred to “an increase in our deterrence capabilities by our activity in the Strait of Hormuz” as well as military deployments and weapons sales to U.S. allies in the Gulf and stated: “we hope that the combination of those things will restore deterrence to a level that is satisfactory, and the leadership will understand that there is a cost to their malign activity wherever it takes place”. View More 29 November 2019 The Netherlands announced that it would “make a military contribution to the French-initiated, European-led mission in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASOH)” in 2020. In a statement, the Dutch government noted that “the mission’s goal is to prevent further incidents in the region. It also includes a diplomatic track, which will focus on de-escalating tensions, for example by means of an inclusive regional dialogue on maritime security”. View More 26 November 2019 Foreign Minister Javad Zarif remarked that “we believe that through a strong neighbourhood, we will be able to achieve our individual goals much easier and much better than individually… Iran is interested in maintaining the same type of relations that it has with its ECO (Economic Cooperation Organisation) partners and extending it to our partners in the Persian Gulf region”. “All of us”, he added, “will benefit from cooperation and all of us will suffer from competition, from conflict. from instability and from insecurity”. Discussing Iran’s Hormuz Peace Endeavour (HOPE) proposal, Zarif emphasised that “you cannot be secure if your neighbours are not. That is why we extended the hand of friendship that we have extended to our ECO partners to our partners in the Persian Gulf, hoping that the same type of arrangement that would lead to greater confidence in cooperation could also evolve through cooperation, through joint effort, and through joint thinking also in the Persian Gulf region”. View More 25 November 2019 Addressing Iran’s rivals, IRGC Commander Hossein Salami remarked that “you have experienced our power in the battlefield and received a powerful slap across your face and could not respond; the world has come to observe some of these slaps, while it has not in some other cases. You should wait. If you cross our redlines, we will annihilate you”. He also advised Israel “not to pin hope on the U.S. It comes too late when you have already been annihilated”. View More 24 November 2019 France’s defence minister announced that “the command post [for a European maritime mission in the Gulf] will be based in Emirati territory”. She remarked that “we hope... to contribute to a navigation that is as safe as possible in a zone which we know is disputed and where there has already been a certain number of serious incidents”. View More 23 November 2019 Discussing the International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), CENTCOM Commander Kenneth McKenzie stressed that “Iran has been hindering freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz over the past few months… Had Iran not undertaken those actions, had there been no threat to freedom of navigation, there might not have been a need for the IMSC”. “Since it has been operational”, McKenzie observed, “none of these actions have occurred”. He also remarked that “unfortunately, sometimes, the Iranian regime has proved itself to be the bully in the neighbourhood. The only way to stand up to a bully is to do it together”. McKenzie also opined that while Iran “may control the next step on the escalation ladder... I do not believe that even Iran conceives that they own the last step on the escalation ladder. And that is point that we should hold”. View More 23 November 2019 A senior U.S. defence official met with Bahrain’s King and “reaffirm[ed] the longstanding defence relationship between the U.S. and the Kingdom of Bahrain”, while underlining that “the U.S. and Bahrain are equally concerned about the threat posed to Bahrain and the broader region by Iranian malign activity, and to that end, are supportive of U.S. efforts to ensure a strong force posture in the region”. The U.S. official also “expressed deep appreciation for the support Bahrain provides the U.S. 5th Fleet in the Kingdom and their participation in the International Maritime Security Construct”. View More 22 November 2019 A senior Iranian military official warned that “any trespassing into Islamic Republic of Iran’s air space will bring nothing for them [ie, Iran’s enemies] except humiliation”. In related comments, a senior IRGC official insisted that “Washington has to act responsibly in protecting and not endangering the lives of American soldiers by avoiding any mistakes in the region, specifically in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz”. View More 21 November 2019 Discussing the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group’s transit through the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. Secretary of Defense Esper posited that “we've been trying to send messages on a number of fronts to a variety of audiences. One, it should be an assurance to our allies and partners that the U.S. … has a robust presence in the theatre, both, you know, on the sea, on the ground and in the air, number one; number two, it asserts, again, the freedom of navigation, the freedom of -- of commerce through the Strait of Hormuz into the Gulf; number three, it should deter the Iranians from provocative bad behavior”. “That's what the demonstration of not just the Abe [ie, USS Lincoln], but other U.S. ships and vessels transiting the region”, he added. View More 20 November 2019 Iran’s naval chief indicated that “due to the current special security conditions in the Red Sea region, and insecurities caused by terrorist activities that threaten our shipping lines, the Iranian Navy has been giving serious attention to this region as an insecure body of water”. He also tallied that “we have so far dispatched 64 fleets to international waters to defend the country’s interests”. View More 19 November 2019 The U.S. navy announced that “the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group completed a scheduled transit through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Arabian Gulf”. View More 16 November 2019 During a visit to the UAE, a senior U.S. military official asserted that “here in the Gulf we face a common adversary [ie, Iran] that seems committed to malign behaviour across the region”, adding that “the reaction time for an Iranian ballistic missile attack to the northern most point in the Arabian Gulf is single digit minutes. And no one country has everything you need to defend itself”. The official went on to contend that “when a missile or a UAV is in route from Iran, can we agree that is not the time to start reconciling past grievances. That time is now, today… together have exactly what we need for collective defence”. View More 15 November 2019 Discussing U.S. interests in the Middle East, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo remarked that “one is to ensure to the maximum extent possible that terrorism doesn’t reach our shores from those places. Second, we have clearly demarcated that we believe the primary driver of instability in the region is the Islamic Republic of Iran. They’re the world’s largest state sponsor of terror”. “They’re on a path which will put them in a place which they’ll be closer to having a capability that puts millions and millions of people at risk”, Pompeo added. He went on to state that “we’ve taken those twin imperatives. Lay over that the commercial interests that are in the straits – not only the Strait of Hormuz, but the Strait of Bosporus… this all comes together”. View More 14 November 2019 Iran’s army chief maintained that “we need an interregional security and not false coalitions. It is time to drive foreign forces out of the region”. “The security in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf region can only be achieved through cooperation of the Persian Gulf littoral states… developments in recent years have shown that foreign powers cannot be reliable for regional countries”, he added. View More 14 November 2019 IRGC Commander Hossein Salami contended that “we will never stop increasing the defence capabilities and we will not retreat because it is among our redlines and therefore, the issue of defence capabilities is not negotiable, modifiable, stoppable and controllable”. He maintained that “the talent and capacity of the Iranian Armed Forces and the IRGC are so high that they will confront any enemy, no matter how big, and therefore, the nation should rest assured and live in tranquility because we are capable of defeating any enemy”. “Given the successful mounting of ballistic missiles on [IRGC] speedboats”, he added, “the enemy’s aircraft carriers will no longer be safe in any spot”. Salami additionally noted that “we currently possess precision-guided missiles” and vowed that negotiations over Iran’s missiles “will never happen”. View More 13 November 2019 U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper remarked that “since the [14 September] Saudi Aramco attacks that were sponsored by Iran occurred, we flew – we flowed additional forces into the region… [It] seems like we've seen a downtick with regard to Iranian actions, and that's a good thing, too”. He further underlined that “we are postured to defend ourselves, to help defend our allies and partners, and to defend the international rules-based order in the region, and the Iranians should not mistake our restraint for weakness. We are prepared to act as need be, and will act to defend those things”. “The reason why we haven't increased presence in the region”, Esper added, “is not just to do that, but to signal to them that the path forward is through diplomacy, not military action, and the door remains open to sit down with them anytime, anywhere to discuss the way forward diplomatically”. View More 7 November 2019 The U.S.-led International Maritime Security Construct inaugurated the Coalition Task Force (CTF) Sentinel headquarters in Bahrain. A senior U.S. naval official characterised the operation as “an important multinational maritime effort to increase surveillance of and security in key waterways in the Middle East to ensure freedom of navigation in light of recent events in the Arabian Gulf”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson subsequently contended that “history shows that the American coalitions have been nothing but misnomers, which have not only not created security so far, but have resulted in further insecurity and instability in different parts of the world… the U.S. move to hide its objectives and dreams behind the names of a few other countries signifies the weakness and lack of international legitimacy”. “As the country with the longest coastline by the Persian Gulf”, he added, “the Islamic Republic of Iran will vigorously keep protecting its economic and security interests, including the navigation security and safety in the body of water”. View More 7 November 2019 A UK official announced that “UK-flagged ships will soon be able to transit the Strait of Hormuz without close Royal Naval accompaniment, following a decrease in the specific risk of detention of these vessels”. View More 2 November 2019 Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson indicated that President Rouhani had sent GCC leaders the Hormuz Peace Endeavour (HOPE) proposal presented at the UN General Assembly in September 2019. “In the letter, he called for collective cooperation among all of them in processing and implementing” the plan, the spokesperson added, while further stating that “this shows the Islamic Republic of Iran’s seriousness and that it cares about the regional countries when it comes to ensuring stability and security in the Persian Gulf region”. View More 1 November 2019 The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, reiterated that “we are sanctioning Iran on an almost weekly basis and there is still plenty left for us to do… we are essentially putting the Iranian regime on the horns of a dilemma. They can either spend money on guns in Syria or butter in Iran. And we are putting them in a position where it becomes very hard for them to keep spending the billions that they used to in places like Syria”. Citing the attacks against tankers off the UAE coast in May 2019 and Aramco facilities in September 2019, Hook also contended that some countries “fear that if they identify Iran as the aggressor, that it will somehow escalate tensions. It will have the exact opposite effect. And so what I’ve been advising countries around the world is to, you have to identify Iran by name… that is part of the diplomatic isolation”. He additionally posited “that the U.S. pressure campaign has hit a nerve with the Iranian regime. And so they’re lashing out, but they’re doing it in very dangerous and escalatory ways that I think are going to backfire on the regime”. View More 1 November 2019 Albania signed on to the International Maritime Security Construct, joining six other countries in the U.S.-led initiative. View More 15 October 2019 Foreign Minister Zarif praised Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan “for his efforts toward peace in the Persian Gulf”. He also called on “colleagues in the leaderships of other regional states to join Iran in forging a blueprint for peace, security, stability and prosperity” through the Hormuz Peace Initiative. View More 14 October 2019 President Rouhani contended that “what happened in the Red Sea when our tanker was targeted [on 11 October] has caused problems that hopefully our investigations will soon reach a conclusion. What is certain is that a regime has done this with the help of some countries, how and when is not clear yet and we are finalising the investigations”. View More 13 October 2019 In a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, President Rouhani noted that “foreign interference will add to the insecurity. The first step to ease tensions in the region is to establish a cease-fire in Yemen and end attacks on the innocent Yemenis, and Iran supports any attempt in this regard”. He further argued that “to resolve regional issues, we require changing strategies towards political dialogue with goodwill, security-building and developing regional cooperation… relying on terrorists, the Zionist regime [i.e. Israel], and the U.S. has no fruit except for more tension and damages to Islamic countries and regional nations, and does not guarantee security for any country and the region”. Rouhani also stated that “sustainable security and peace in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz can only be achieved through the participation of regional states”, adding that “Iran is always ready for dialogue and cooperation with all countries in the region”. Rouhani went on to posit that “the U.S.’ request for negotiation without preconditions is not an honest move with sanctions in place… we are ready to negotiation within the framework of the JCPOA if sanctions are lifted”. View More 13 October 2019 Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa remarked that “one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas supply is launched from the waters of the Arabian Gulf, and any threat to the freedom of navigation is therefore considered a disruption to world trade, a disturbance to oil prices and a challenge to the global order”. He further asserted that “the international community must come together to take firm steps to deter the aggressor, and oblige it to respect international maritime safety laws and treaties, in order to maintain international peace and security”. View More 11 October 2019 Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson confirmed that an “Iranian tanker has sustained damages after being targeted twice, at half-hourly intervals, from a place near its shipping route in the east of the Red Sea” on 10 October. He also indicated that “over the past few months, other acts of sabotage have been launched against Iranian oil tankers in the Red Sea”. Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani asserted that “piracy and evil deeds in international waterways, which are carried out with the aim of making commercial ships’ sailing insecure, will not go unanswered”. A senior Saudi official on 13 October disavowed any involvement, stating that “we did not engage in such behaviour at all. This is not how we operate… the story is still not complete. So let’s wait and find out what happened before we jump to conclusions”. View More 11 October 2019 Discussing U.S.-led maritime security initiatives, the U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, indicated that “we have asked nations to contribute maritime and aviation assets so that we have more eyes on that area. The more people that we have there, it makes it harder for Iran to execute its operations against tankers and other things like they’ve done in the past, if they ever wanted to threaten to mine the Strait of Hormuz, which they’ve done in the past, take out oil tankers, capture oil tankers in other countries’ waters”. View More 10 October 2019 In an article for a Kuwaiti newspaper, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif wrote that “the destiny of people and nations in the Persian Gulf region is closely intertwined… security in that region cannot be divided. Either all in the region enjoy security or all are deprived of it”. He went on elaborate on Iran’s Hormuz Peace Endeavour proposal as having “what it takes to realise lasting security in the region through intra-regional dialogue”, adding that “we have pinned our hopes on the implementation of this initiative and await positive reaction to the proposed plan by the regional countries”. View More 9 October 2019 An Iranian security official asserted that “the Persian Gulf does not accept microbial viruses like the fleet of Western countries’ warships… the message of all nations of the Persian Gulf region is that they [foreign fleets] should end their inauspicious presence so that the region becomes peaceful”. View More 9 October 2019 Secretary of State Pompeo stated that “oil from the Adrian Darya 1 has been offloaded in Syria, proving that Iran lied to the UK and Gibraltar. This terrorist oil will fund Assad’s war and Iran’s sectarian violence”. He further asserted that “EU members should condemn this action, uphold the rule of law and hold Iran accountable”. View More 7 October 2019 Iran’s army chief declared that “we have maintained the security of the Persian Gulf for [the past] forty years and will continue to do so with full power after this, and will give a crushing response to any threat posed by the enemy at any level”. He went on to opine that “with help from other regional countries, this region could be the most secure region in the world”. View More 7 October 2019 Secretary of State Pompeo spoke with UK Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab about “a variety of international security challenges, including Iran’s destabilising role in the Middle East and Turkey’s plans to potentially invade Syria”. View More 4 October 2019 A senior U.S. military official assessed with respect to the Iranians that “I don’t believe that they’re drawing back at all” since the 14 September attack against Saudi energy facilities, which he asserted was carried out to “send a signal and harass and provoke”. Referring to U.S.-led maritime security operations, the official indicated that “what [Operation] Sentinel seeks to do is shine a flashlight across that and make sure that if anything happens in the maritime, they will be exposed for that activity… we’ve created essentially a zone defence”. View More 2 October 2019 Secretary of State Pompeo contended that "the Iranian leadership is having to make difficult decisions about resource allocation inside of their own country. And we remain hopeful that there will be an opportunity to discuss with the Iranians the path forward". "President Trump has said repeatedly we are working every day to deter [Iran]", Pompeo continued, "with the maritime initiative that we have in the Strait of Hormuz, to de-escalate and to create opportunities for diplomacy. That's the approach that we have taken. It's the one that we'll continue to take". View More 30 September 2019 Iran’s military chief of staff remarked that “a sustainable and strong form of deterrence has been created in the face of enemy’s plot to carry out any act of aggression against the Islamic Iran and enemies have understood that the Islamic Iran enjoys the readiness, determination and courage and will not hesitate to defend its ideals, land and people”. He further stated that “Iran, as a superior regional power, recognises its responsibility for maintaining regional security and stability and plays a basic role in this regard”. Iran “does not think about... waging war and sowing insecurity and seeks calm and tranquillity through regional cooperation”, he added. View More 29 September 2019 A senior U.S. naval official was in Riyadh for discussions with Saudi counterparts on "our mutual efforts going forward to coordinate defence against provocation and attack". View More 28 September 2019 In his address to the UN General Assembly, Bahrain’s foreign minister remarked that “the adoption of the Iranian regime of transitional terrorism has created networks of terrorist organisations and extremist militias, located in many places and different parts of the world such as Syria, Yemen, North Africa, the countries of the Sahara and the Sahel, South America and others. This requires us to intensify our efforts and enhance collective cooperation in order to eliminate them and prevent their return in any form”. He also applauded “the decisive course taken by the friendly U.S. in confronting Iran and its affiliates in the region, through exerting maximum pressure and imposing strict sanctions”. He went on to assert that “global energy supplies and maritime navigation in the waters of the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the region as a whole are severely threatened by the behaviour of the Iranian regime and its frequent targeting of commercial vessels in the region”, adding condemnation of the 14 September attacks on Saudi energy facilities “which Iran bears responsibility for”. View More 25 September 2019 In an address to the UN General Assembly, President Rouhani reaffirmed that “we remain committed to our promises in the [nuclear] deal. However, our patience has a limit”. He also declared that Iran would “never negotiate with an enemy that seeks to force Iran to surrender with the weapon of poverty, pressure and sanction… stop the sanctions so as to open the war for the start of negotiations”. Rouhani also asserted that “the security doctrine of the Islamic Republic of Iran is based on the maintenance of peace and stability in the Persian Gulf and providing freedom of movement in the Strait of Hormuz. Recent incidents have seriously endangered such security”. He went on to “invite all the countries directly affected by the developments in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz to the ‘Coalition for Hope’, meaning Hormuz Peace Endeavour”. “The security of the region shall be provided when American troops pull out”, Rouhani argued, further stating that “our region is on the edge of collapse, as a single blunder can fuel a big fire. We shall not tolerate the provocative intervention of foreigners… however, the alternative and proper solution for us is to strengthen consolidation among all the nations with common interests in the Persian Gulf and the Hormuz region”. Foreign Minister Zarif subsequently explained that the Hormuz Peace Endeavour involved “dialogue, confidence-building, freedom of navigation, energy security, non-aggression and non-intervention”. View More 24 September 2019 Iran’s military chief of staff declared that “we have repeatedly warned the enemies that if they invade this country… the result of this invasion will be captivity and defeat”. “We say to the neighboring countries that we have no enmity with you”, he added. “Countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE are Muslim countries that have lost their path and should side with Iran so that the regional security will be preserved”. View More 23 September 2019 President Rouhani stated that “we seek mass cooperation within the Persian Gulf region for regional security, and we want all countries in the region to participate " in Iran’s “Hormuz Peace Initiative”. View More 23 September 2019 An Iranian diplomat indicated that “the British-flagged tanker ‘Stena Impero’, pursuant to the completion of the judicial and legal process, is now free to leave”. In a statement the following day, the CEO of Stena Bulk said that “despite public statements by Iranian authorities… that judicial proceedings have concluded, and the Stena Impero is free to leave Iran, the vessel remains detained at anchor in Bandar Abbas”. View More 22 September 2019 President Rouhani declared that “we extend the hand of friendship to all our neighbours at this critical juncture. To do so, we are ready to even forgive their past mistakes, because we are in conditions that the enemies of the region, especially the U.S., imperialism and Zionism are seeking to take advantage of division”. He added that “our logic is based on self-ensuring security for the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, and the presence of foreign forces in this region can cause problems”. Rouhani also indicated that “we are going to propose an initiative in the UN that is based on the fact that the Islamic Republic of Iran can ensure the security of the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman with the help of regional countries”. View More 20 September 2019 U.S. Secretary of Defence Mark Esper asserted that “in recent months, Iran has increased its military activity through direct attacks and support to its proxies in the region”, adding that “all indications are that Iran was responsible for the attack” against Saudi energy facilities on 14 September. Esper announced that “in response to the Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia’s] request, the president has approved the deployment of U.S. forces, which will be defensive in nature and primarily focussed on air and missile defence. We will also work to accelerate the delivery of military equipment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE to enhance their ability to defend themselves”. View More 19 September 2019 The UAE signed on to the U.S.-led International Maritime Security Construct. View More 18 September 2019 Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary, Ali Shamkhani, stated that “Iran’s strategic policy is to reduce tensions, avoid any conflict and resolve regional crises through dialogue. However, the country is fully prepared to monitor any intention or attempt to attack the Islamic Republic or its interests and will surprise aggressors most severely through a crushing and comprehensive response to possible evil actions”. View More 17 September 2019 Saudi Arabia signed on the U.S.-led International Maritime Security Construct. View More 16 September 2019 President Rouhani told his Turkish counterpart that “guaranteeing the security of the Persian Gulf waterways, the Sea of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz has always been important for Iran as the largest littoral state”. Rouhani added that “the security of regional waterways has to be protected only by its littoral states, and that the presence of U.S. forces and them inviting other countries to be present in the region will only increase the existing problems and tensions”. View More 15 September 2019 A senior IRGC commander warned that “all American bases and their vessels in a distance of up to 2,000km [from Iran borders] are within the range of our missiles”. He went to say that “we have constantly prepared ourselves for a full-fledged war”. View More 12 September 2019 In China, Iran’s military chief of staff stated that “Iran is fully ready under the current circumstances to defend its security and interests in the Persian Gulf”. He further argued that “history shows that we have never initiated [an act of] aggression or a war and will not do so, but we will firmly defend our security and sovereignty in case of any aggression or intervention by foreigners”. View More 12 September 2019 The U.S. State Department's spokesperson, Morgan Ortagus, stated that “we have seen reports that the Iranian vessel Adrian Darya, formally Grace 1, remains anchored off the shores of Syria, which we’ve been saying was its intended destination all along. Now we’ve seen firsthand the Iranian regime renege on its assurances to the EU that the vessel would not transport oil to the murderous Assad regime”. Ortagus added that “this fits into the web of lies perpetrated by the Iranian regime for 40 years”, further noting that “despite the revolutionary promises of a better society, the thugs in Tehran have consistently repressed women, minorities and human rights advocates”. View More 11 September 2019 The Arab Quartet Ministerial Committee for Follow-up of the Crisis with Iran and Response to its Interventions in Arab Internal Affairs, chaired by the UAE and including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the Secretary-General of the Arab League, “condemned Iran's continued support for terrorist and subversive acts in the Arab countries, including the continued firing of Iranian-made ballistic missiles from Yemeni territory into populated cities in the Kingdom”. It also denounced remarks by Hizbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s as “intended to provoke sedition and incite hatred; and which is an extension of the dangerous role of this terrorist party, which is considered as one of the arms of Iran aiming to destabilise the security and stability in the region”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson responded that “the rehash of groundless accusations against [Iran’s] eternal ownership of its three islands in the Persian Gulf and the blame game by some Arab countries whose regional policies have failed are… the reason behind their failure to understand the realities of the region and the world”. He went on to say that “it is regrettable that some, instead of relying on the power of Persian Gulf states, make divergent, unfounded and undocumented allegations about the security of the region and welcome foreigners with their desperation”. View More 10 September 2019 National Security Advisor John Bolton asserted that “now that we’re two weeks from the UN General Assembly, you can be sure Iran is working overtime on deception. Let’s review the greatest hits, starting with the most recent. Iran denied the Adrian Darya 1 was headed to Syria, then confirmed today its oil was offloaded there”. View More 8 September 2019 Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson announced that “the Adrian Darya oil tanker finally docked on the Mediterranean coast and unloaded its cargo despite acts of sabotage by the U.S.”. He further underscored that “we had already announced that we would sell our oil in any way and that acts of sabotage would not affect our plans”. View More 6 September 2019 U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton tweeted imagery showing the Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya-1 off the Syrian coast and stated that “anyone who said the Adrian Darya 1 wasn’t headed to Syria is in denial. Tehran thinks it’s more important to fund the murderous Assad regime than provide for its own people”. He contended that “we can talk, but Iran’s not getting any sanctions relief until it stops lying and spreading terror!” View More 4 September 2019 The Swedish government confirmed “the release of some of the crew members of Swedish-owned and UK-flagged Stena Impero”, which Iran detained in the Strait of Hormuz on 19 July. View More 30 August 2019 The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned “Adrian Darya 1, an oil tanker transporting 2.1 million barrels of Iranian crude oil ultimately benefitting Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force”, as well as its captain. Secretary of State Pompeo advised that “any who would consider supporting the IRGC should heed this warning”, adding that “non-U.S. persons who knowingly provide significant goods, services, or support to the individuals and entities designated today may themselves face sanctions consequences”. Pompeo also indicated that “the U.S. will continue to increase pressure on the Iranian regime until it changes its behaviour”. National Security Advisor John Bolton commented that “sanctions are serious, and so is captaining a vessel engaged in illicit activity. Let this be a lesson to anyone tempted to support moving Iranian oil destined for Assad’s murderous regime”. On 31 August Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif contended that the “U.S. engages in piracy and threats to prevent Iran from selling oil to traditional customers”. “Stop nagging Secretary Pompeo”, Zarif added. “We will sell oil to any and all buyers”. View More 28 August 2019 U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo met with Saudi Deputy Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman and “reiterated U.S. support for a negotiated resolution between the Republic of Yemen government and the Southern Transitional Council”. They additionally discussed “the need for stronger maritime security in order to promote freedom of navigation [and] the Iranian regime’s destabilising activities in the region”. View More 26 August 2019 U.S. National Security Advisor John Bolton called for “all hands on deck in the campaign to stop Iran from funding terror, destabilising the globe, and breaking international sanctions. Tthe illicit oil heading to Turkey on the Adrian Darya 1 must not be allowed [to be] off-loaded in port or at sea”. An Iranian official announced that the ship’s cargo had been purchased by an undisclosed buyer, adding that “I don’t know its destination”. View More 25 August 2019 A senior Iranian military official argued that “in our view, [the] formation of any coalition in the region without the participation of regional countries would create tensions… therefore, anyone joining the [U.S.-led maritime] coalition is considered to have made a hostile act against the Islamic Republic”. View More 23 August 2019 Foreign Minister Zarif stated that “the U.S. has exacerbated tension in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere. Freedom of navigation is a global responsibility and the U.S. is committing piracy, in Gibraltar, with the help of some of its friends elsewhere”. He went on to say that “we are engaged in a war. It’s an economic war that the U.S. has imposed on Iran… I believe the U.S. should be pressured by the rest of the international community to abandon its policy of pressure and intimidation. It won’t work”. View More 22 August 2019 The IRGC's commander, Hossein Salami, asserted that “no country or coalition, except countries of the Persian Gulf region, can provide the area with security”. He further argued that “past experiences show that whenever other powers sought to set foot in the region with the claim of ensuring security, they only led to the escalation of tensions and even wars”. View More 22 August 2019 Foreign Minister Zarif declared that “it’s clear that the U.S.’ intention… [of having a] naval presence in the Persian Gulf is to counter Iran”. “Don’t expect us to remain quiet when somebody comes to our waters and threatens us”, Zarif added. View More 21 August 2019 President Rouhani remarked that “we have chosen the right path in reducing our ]JCPOA] commitments, and we have reiterated that there is a limit to our patience”. He added that “world powers know that if Iran’s oil export is reduced to zero, international waterways will not have the same security they used to; therefore, unilateral pressure against Iran cannot be to their benefit and ensure their security in the region and the world”. View More 21 August 2019 Secretary of State Pompeo contented that “we're going to continue to do our best to ensure that particular shipment [of crude oil aboard the Grace 1/Adrian Darya 1 tanker] doesn't get into the hands of terrorists so it can risk American lives or lives of citizens in any other part of the world”. He further underscored that “we put in place a set of sanctions designed to deny the ayatollah the wealth to terrorise the world conventionally or with nuclear weapons, and we've been pretty effective”. We can see with Hizbollah…we can see with the Shiite forces in Iraq. We can see that they have fewer dollars. They're having to make really difficult decisions about whether to spend money on defence or just spend money back home”. He added that “we hope they will ultimately conclude that the best thing to do is to rejoin the community of nations, to stop conducting assassination campaigns in Europe, to cease with terror operations supporting Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip or Hizbollah in Lebanon and Syria”. “I don’t know that they will”, Pompeo assessed. “They’re pretty wedded to it, it’s ideological. It’s not even about logic. It’s deeply ingrained in their revolutionary culture, and we hope that the Iranian people will see a way to get the leadership in Iran to change its behaviour”. View More 20 August 2019 The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, indicated that “we have called upon governments and the maritime community to deny passage of any Iranian oil tankers, to deny them docking privileges… if you are a crew member or a captain on a vessel moving Iranian that has been – then you are subject to criminal and immigration consequences”. He further remarked that “we’re tracking the movements of all Iranian oil tankers because… the Iranian regime uses oil to fund its malign activities and to support its terrorist operations around the Middle East, and it’s important for nations to take that threat seriously”. View More 19 August 2019 Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson stated that “the U.S. request for the continued detention [of Iran’s Grace 1 oil tanker] is illegal”. He went on to say that “through its official channels, and especially the Swiss embassy, Iran has warned U.S. officials not to make the mistake [of seizing it] because they would face bad consequences”. View More 19 August 2019 Meeting with the head of U.S. Central Command, Bahrain’s King Hamad “confirmed the Kingdom of Bahrain’s participation in the joint effort to preserve the safety of international maritime navigation and secure international corridors for trade and energy in the region”. In a statement, the CENTCOM chief welcomed Bahrain’s participation and asserted that “threats to the free flow of commerce are an international problem requiring an international solution, and we are pleased that the Kingdom of Bahrain will be a part of that solution”. View More 18 August 2019 A senior IRGC commander warned “the Persian Gulf countries that if an incident was to occur for one of the atomic battleships in the Persian Gulf, they wouldn’t even have drinking water anymore”. View More 18 August 2019 President Trump contended that “Iran would like to talk. They just don’t know quite how to get there… I have a feeling that maybe things with Iran could work out, and maybe not”. He added that “if you notice, they haven’t taken any of our boats. They haven’t taken our ships. They’ve taken ships, but they haven’t taken our ships, and they better not”. Trump went on to say that “Iran has tremendous potential, and we can do something very fast, but they don’t quite know how to begin because they’re proud people… but their economy is crashing. Their economy is a disaster. They’ve got to do something, so let’s see what happens”. View More 15 August 2019 National Security Advisor John Bolton asserted that Iran is “a country that never really made the key decision to give up nuclear weapons. They have not modified their widespread support for international terrorism. They've not given up their troublemaking in the Middle East, in Iraq and Syria and Yemen. They’re still a threat in the Persian Gulf to oil, they’re a threat to our forces, not just in Iraq and Syria, but now in Afghanistan”. “This is a regime really that needs a fundamental change in its behaviour”, Bolton added. View More 15 August 2019 Gibraltar announced than an Iranian tanker, Grace 1, detained on 4 July was “now released from detention”, while also noting that the U.S. had “requested that a new legal procedure for the detention of the vessel should be commenced”. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif contended that “the U.S. attempted to abuse the legal system to steal our property on the high seas”, adding that “this piracy attempt is indicative of the Trump administration’s contempt for the law”. View More 15 August 2019 Gibraltar announced that an Iranian tanker, Grace 1, detained on 4 July was “now released from detention”, while also noting that the U.S. had “requested that a new legal procedure for the detention of the vessel should be commenced”. In a statement, the State Department indicated that “the U.S. assesses that the M/T Grace 1 was assisting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) by transporting oil from Iran to Syria. This could result in serious consequences for any individuals associated with the Grace 1”. The statement went on to note that “crewmembers of vessels assisting the IRGC by transporting oil from Iran may be ineligible for visas or admission to the U.S.”, adding that “the U.S. will continue to use all the tools at its disposal to deny Iran and its proxies the resources they need to engage in malign and destabilising activities in Syria and elsewhere”. View More 14 August 2019 President Rouhani remarked that “all propaganda about a new coalition in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman are impractical and superficial. Without a doubt, if a part of these propagandas is put into action, they will not be beneficial for the security of the region”. He went on to say that “regional states can ensure the security of the region with unity, integrity and dialogue”. Referring to Israel’s involvement in a U.S.-led maritime security initiative, President Rouhani stated that “the Israelis had better ensure the security of where they are! They have brought about insecurity, massacre and terror wherever they were present”. View More 12 August 2019 Foreign Minister Zarif asserted that “the threats [in the region] are coming from the U.S. and its allies who are pouring weapons in the region, making it a tinderbox ready to blow up”. He added that “based on experience, the presence of U.S. and foreign naval fleet in the Persian Gulf has never produced security”. Zarif further suggested that “the best the Americans can do for protection of maritime navigation is to just leave people alone. Don't interfere, this is a hostile act against Iran and I don't believe any other impact other than insecurity”. View More 11 August 2019 Iranian President Rouhani told the Emir of Qatar that “the maintenance and strengthening of regional security, especially in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman, is very important for Iran”. He further stated that “Tehran believes that the ease of regional tensions is beneficial for everyone and we hope that the Americans realise that the path they have chosen is incorrect, which will not have any winner. They have to change their behaviour”. View More 9 August 2019 Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson called Israel’s involvement in a U.S.-led maritime security initiative “a clear threat to Iran's national security”, and asserted that “Iran reserves the right to counter this threat within the framework of the country's defence policy”. “Responsibility for all the consequences of this dangerous act would lie with the American regime and the illegitimate Zionist regime”, he added. View More 9 August 2019 Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif stated that the “Persian Gulf is [a] vital lifeline and thus national security priority for Iran, which has long ensured maritime security”. He contended that “mindful of this reality, any extra-regional presence is by definition [a] source of insecurity - despite propaganda. Iran won't hesitate to safeguard its security”. View More 8 August 2019 Iran's Defence Minister, Amir Hatami, asserted that “the military coalition that the U.S. wants to form under the pretext of providing shipping security will only further escalate insecurity in the region”. Hatami added that “security must be provided by the regional countries, who should enter constructive negotiations in this regard”, and argued that “the region should not become a place for the free presence of aliens”. He also indicated that Israeli involvement in U.S.-led maritime initiatives “would be extremely provocative and have disastrous consequences for the region”. View More 7 August 2019 Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz reportedly indicated that “Israel was assisting the [U.S. maritime security] mission with intelligence and other unspecified fields”. View More 7 August 2019 The U.S. Maritime Administration issued an advisory regarding commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, which noted that “heightened military activity and increased political tensions in this region continue to pose serious threats to commercial vessels” and cautioned that “vessels operating in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman may… counter GPS interference, bridge-to-bridge communications spoofing and/or other communications jamming with little or no warning”. View More 6 August 2019 President Rouhani told his French counterpart that “we pay special attention to security and freedom of navigation in the region and Strait of Hormuz. Tens of ships navigate freely in the region, and Iranian forces monitor the process based on regulations”. He also reiterated that “by reducing its [nuclear] commitments, Iran has been seeking to secure its interests under the JCPOA and get other signatories to live up to their commitments for further stability and solidity of the important deal”. View More 4 August 2019 The IRGC announced that it had on 31 July seized a foreign oil tanker near Farsi island in the Persian Gulf for “smuggling 700,000 litres of fuel”. View More 4 August 2019 Secretary of State Pompeo indicated that “we’re asking every nation that has energy needs, that has goods and services passing through to contribute to our effort, which is deter and create stability in the Strait of Hormuz”. “Every country will contribute something different”, Pompeo added. “Information sharing, ships at sea, communications systems, ISR, all the elements of delivering this defensive deterrent posture in the Strait of Hormuz”. In related remarks, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper asserted that “the U.S. has been very clear that the purpose of our proposed operations in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman has been twofold – first of all, to promote the principle of freedom of navigation and freedom of commerce through all waterways, particularly that one, number one. Number two is to prevent any provocative actions by Iran that might lead to some misunderstanding or miscalculation that could lead to a conflict”. View More 4 August 2019 Iran and Qatar held a joint coast guard meeting in Tehran. View More 31 July 2019 Bahrain hosted an international meeting to “discuss means to enhance international cooperation and coordination in order to combat the rejected and repeated hostile practices of Iran and its terrorist affiliates, which aim to undermine the security of maritime navigation in the Arabia Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz”. Media reports had earlier indicated that the UK had helped convene the consultations with U.S. and European participation. View More 30 July 2019 President Rouhani told his French counterpart that “Iran has always been the main provider of freedom and security of navigation in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman, and it will continue to play this role”. He added that “Iran has not begun any tension in the region and will not do so, but it will defend its interests against any tension creation powerfully". With regards to Iran’s incremental breaches of the JCPOA, Rouhani stated that “the more time passes and Iran takes the next steps, the harder it will be for both sides to return to the beginning point”, while also noting that “Iran’s move to reduce its JCPOA commitments so far is able to return to its previous state very fast if Iran’s economic interests are met”. View More 30 July 2019 A UAE delegation visited Tehran for discussions on maritime cooperation. View More 29 July 2019 A senior Iranian military official claimed that “we are able to discover various types of so-called stealth aircraft and drones of the enemy”, adding that “[we] powerfully discover and warn a variety of advanced American aircraft”. View More 29 July 2019 Discussing the Strait of Hormuz, Secretary of State Pompeo asserted that “we’re going to keep them open. We’re going to build out a maritime security plan. Countries from all across the world who have a vested interest in keeping those waterways open will participate”. “It will take more time than we wish it would take”, Pompeo added, “but I’m very confident that the world understands its importance, that America is prepared to be a significant part of that, but we need countries from all across the world to assist us in protecting commercial transit”. View More 24 July 2019 President Rouhani asserted that “along with maintaining the security of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, the Islamic Republic of Iran works for the safety of other waterways in the world, including the Bab al-Mandab and the Indian Ocean”. In apparent reference to the seizure by Iran of a UK-flagged tanker on 19 July, Rouhani added: “The Strait of Hormuz has a very important location; it’s not to be taken as a joke or for a country to ignore international regulations, and enter the region in the wrong direction and disregard the IRGC’s warnings, who are responsible for the security of the Strait of Hormuz”. He further asserted that “the main responsibility for protecting the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf is mainly with Iran and neighbouring countries, and is not the others’ business”. View More 24 July 2019 A senior Iranian military official warned that “any change in the status of the Strait of Hormuz will open the door to a dangerous confrontation”. View More 24 July 2019 Elaborating on President Trump’s 18 July announcement that the U.S. had downed an Iranian drone (which Tehran denied), a senior U.S. military official asserted that “we are confident we brought down one drone, we may have brought down a second”. View More 23 July 2019 French Foreign Minister Le Drian stated that “we are setting up a European initiative, with Britain and Germany, to ensure that there is a mission to monitor and observe maritime security in the Gulf”. He further clarified that “this is the opposite of the American initiative which is about maximum pressure to make Iran go back on a certain number of objectives… in that respect, we should even go further and think about a joint securitisation approach in the Gulf, diplomatically speaking. This way, we’ll really be in a logic of de-escalation”. View More 23 July 2019 At a meeting with U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Prime Minster Netanyahu asserted that U.S. “sanctions have begun to work, and it’s important that they continue to work”. “It’s important to keep up the pressure”, Netanyahu added. “If I had to say what are the three things that we have to do in the face of Iranian aggression, it is pressure, pressure and more pressure to force Iran to abandon its nuclear and regional ambitions”. He went on to state that “we cannot allow Iran to disrupt the flow of oil in international waters, and again, I think the first requirement is the application of still greater pressure on Iran. I would not show any hesitation. I’m a leader who’s shown judicious use of force, and I think in this case, the judicious use of pressure is what is required”. View More 22 July 2019 Referring to the recent tensions with the UK, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif stated that “it's important for everybody to realize, it's important for Boris Johnson to understand, that Iran does not seek confrontation”. He added that “Iran wants to have normal relations based on mutual respect”. UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesperson stated that “we do not seek confrontation with Iran but it is unacceptable and highly escalatory to seize a ship going about legitimate business through internationally recognized shipping lanes”. Foreign Minister Jeremy Hunt described Iran’s 19 July detention of the UK-flagged Stena Impero as “state piracy”, adding that “we will now seek to put together a European-led maritime protection mission to support safe passage of both crew and cargo in this vital region”. View More 22 July 2019 Saudi Arabia’s minister of state for foreign affairs, Adel al-Jubeir, stated that “any attack on the freedom of navigation is a violation of international law. Iran must realize that its acts of intercepting ships, including most recently the British ship, are completely unacceptable”. He further asserted that “the world community must take actions to deter such behaviour”. View More 20 July 2019 Following Iran’s seizure of a UK-flagged tanker on 19 July, UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt stated that “Iran may be choosing a dangerous path of illegal and destabilising behaviour after Gibraltar’s legal detention of oil bound for Syria”, adding that “our reaction will be considered but robust”. Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif posited that “unlike the piracy in the Strait of Gibraltar, our action in the Persian Gulf is to uphold international maritime rules”. He went on to say that “it is Iran that guarantees the security of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. [The] UK must cease being an accessory to the economic terrorism of the U.S.”. View More 19 July 2019 U.S. Central Command announced that it was “developing a multinational maritime effort, Operation Sentinel, to increase surveillance of and security in key waterways in the Middle East to ensure freedom of navigation”. The statement added that “this maritime security framework will enable nations to provide escort to their flagged vessels while taking advantage of the cooperation of participating nations for coordination and enhanced maritime domain awareness and surveillance”. View More 19 July 2019 U.S. Central Command announced and Saudi Arabia confirmed that “in coordination with and at the invitation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Secretary of Defense has authorized the movement of U.S. personnel and resources to deploy to Saudi Arabia”. View More 19 July 2019 The IRGC announced that it had detained a UK-flagged oil tanker, Stena Impero, in the Strait of Hormuz. A second vessel, Mesdar, was also boarded but let off with a warning about “safety issues”. UK Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt called the seizure “completely unacceptable” and asserted that “if this situation is not resolved quickly there will be serious consequences”. View More 18 July 2019 President Trump stated that a U.S. vessel “took defensive action against an Iranian drone, which had closed into a very, very near distance… ignoring multiple calls to stand down and was threatening the safety of the ship and the ship’s crew. The drone was immediately destroyed”. Trump described the incident as “the latest of many provocative and hostile actions by Iran against vessels operating in international waters”, and added that “the U.S. reserves the right to defend our personnel, our facilities, and interests, and calls upon all nations to condemn Iran’s attempts to disrupt freedom of navigation and global commerce”. Iran denied losing a drone. View More 17 July 2019 The U.S. Special Representative for Iran, Brian Hook, and Bahrain’s Foreign Minister jointly announced that Bahrain would host an international meeting on maritime security later in the year. View More 11 July 2019 Secretary of State Pompeo remarked that “the U.S. condemns the IRGC-Navy’s attempt to harass the UK vessel near the Strait of Hormuz. We commend the Royal Navy in ensuring freedom of navigation and will continue to work with our allies to ensure the Iranian regime does not disrupt maritime security and global commerce”. View More 11 July 2019 In a statement, the British defence ministry asserted that “three Iranian vessels attempted to impede the passage of a commercial vessel, British Heritage, through the Strait of Hormuz”. The IRGC rejected the claim, stating that “there have been no encounters with foreign vessels, including the British ones”. View More 10 July 2019 A U.S. senior defence official remarked that “we’re engaging now with a number of countries to see if we can put together a coalition that would ensure freedom of navigation both in the Straits of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab”. View More 1 July 2019 The head of Israel’s foreign intelligence service blamed Iran for the tanker incidents in the Gulf of Oman and an attack on the Bahrain’s embassy in Iraq, contending that “with certainty, based on the best sources of both Israeli and Western espionage… Iran is behind these attacks. They were approved by Iranian leadership and carried out, in large part, by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and its proxies”. View More 28 June 2019 The U.S. special representative for Iran, Brian Hook, stated that “If we do not prevent Iranians from laying down deep roots in Yemen, they will be in a position to threaten to close the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab”. He went on to say that “an outlaw regime is violating basic maritime law and now represents a maritime threat across the Gulf”. View More 26 June 2019 A senior IRGC official asserted that “the enemy knows that if it makes mischief in the Persian Gulf, it will not survive, and its failure will not be limited to only damage to the equipment”. View More 26 June 2019 Discussing Iran during a visit to India, Secretary Pompeo argued that the U.S. had done “everything it can to de-escalate. If there is conflict, if there is war, if there’s a kinetic activity, it will because the Iranians made that choice. I hope that they do not. I don’t think they should ever mistake President Trump for not being prepared to defend American interest all around the world, and I hope that the world will come to defend that waterway that is so central to the Indian economy”. He went on to say that “the world needs to join together to ensure that there’s free and open navigation in that waterway. When we do that, when we do that in a serious way, we’ll deter Iranian aggression, and we’ll get Iran to behave like we’ve asked them to. Nothing special, we just want them to behave like a normal country. That’s not too much to ask for them”. View More 25 June 2019 Speaking one day after the U.S. imposed sanctions against Iranian political and military leaders, President Rouhani remarked that “today, there is a great confusion and frustration in the U.S. administration; they are frustrated because whatever they do does not lead them to any result… the White House is suffering mental disability and doesn’t know what to do”. Referring to the downing of the U.S. drone on 20 June, he stated that “our patience lasts until the beginning of our red line, and the borders of our country are our red line; when a drone crosses our borders, it has crossed our red line and we have the right to defend ourselves”. Rouhani went on to say that “imposing sanctions on the highest political, social, religious and spiritual leader of a country, who is not only the leader of Iran, but also the leader of Muslims and Shiites and the followers of the Islamic Revolution throughout the world is a ridiculous act”. Referring to the U.S., he further argued that “if they were seeking negotiations, they would not withdraw from a deal that was struck out of negotiation”. In related remarks, Iran’s diplomatic spokespersons said the sanctions “means the permanent closure of the path to diplomacy with the desperate US administration” View More 25 June 2019 In a statement, France, Germany and the UK (E3) jointly indicated that they were “gravely concerned by the increased tensions in the Gulf”, which “risk miscalculation and conflict”. They also reiterated “their commitment to the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2231 and the preservation of the JCPOA”. View More 25 June 2019 A senior Russian official stated that Moscow shared Tehran’s assessment that a U.S. drone shot down by Iran on 20 June had, contrary to the U.S. position, entered Iran’s airspace. View More 24 June 2019 President Trump argued that “China gets 91 per cent of its Oil from the Straight[sic], Japan 62 per cent, and many other countries likewise. So why are we protecting the shipping lanes for other countries (many years) for zero compensation. All of these countries should be protecting their own ships on what has always been a dangerous journey. We don’t even need to be there in that the U.S. has just become (by far) the largest producer of energy anywhere in the world! The U.S. request for Iran is very simple - no nuclear weapons and no further sponsoring of terror!” View More 24 June 2019 Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif argued that “President Trump is 100 per cent right that the U.S. military has no business in the Persian Gulf. Removal of its forces is fully in line with interests of U.S. and the world. But it's now clear that the B-Team is not concerned with U.S. interests—they despise diplomacy, and thirst for war”. View More 23 June 2019 President Rouhani stated that the U.S. drone shot down by Iran on 20 June had “intruded Iran’s air space” and was intercepted only “after repeated warnings”. He added that “this region is very sensitive, and the security of the strait linking the Persian Gulf to Oman Sea is very important for many countries; therefore, we expect all international institutions to give a proper response to this intrusive act by the U.S.”. View More 21 June 2019 One day after Iran shot down a U.S. drone, President Trump revealed that “we were cocked and loaded to retaliate last night on three different sites when I asked, ‘how many will die?’ “150 people, sir’, was the answer from a General. Ten minutes before the strike I stopped it, not proportionate to shooting down an unmaned drone”. Trump went on to say that “I am in no hurry, our military is rebuilt, new and ready to go, by far the best in the world. Sanctions are biting and more added last night. Iran can never have nuclear weapons, not against the U.S., and now against the world!” View More 21 June 2019 In a letter to the United Nations Secretary-General, Iran relayed its account of what transpired prior to it shooting down a U.S. drone and decried “another unlawful and yet a very dangerous and provocative act by the U.S. military forces against the territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The letter also underlined that “while the Islamic Republic of Iran does not seek war, it reserves its inherent right … to take all appropriate necessary measures against any hostile act violating its territory, and is determined to vigorously defend its land, sea and air”. View More 21 June 2019 In a press conference where the IRGC displayed what it claimed was wreckage from the U.S. drone it had shot down the day before, an IRGC commander stated that “along with the American drone was an American P8 aircraft with 35 on board, and it was also violating our airspace and we could have downed it too, but we did not, because our aim was to warn the terrorist forces of the U.S.”. View More 20 June 2019 Iran shot down a U.S. drone which it claimed had breached Iranian airspace. IRGC Commander Hossein Salami declared that "borders are our red line, and any enemy violating these borders will not go back". The U.S. military asserted that the aircraft had been "operating in international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz", and contended that "this was an unprovoked attack". President Trump suggested that “they made a mistake, and I’m not just talking the country made a mistake. I think that someone under the command of that country made a big mistake…I find it hard to believe it was intentional”. He went on to state that “this is a very fly in the ointment, what happened shooting down the drone. And this country will not stand for it, that I can tell you”. View More 19 June 2019 Iran's Defence Minister, Amir Hatami, dismissed allegations about Iran’s involvement in the 13 June tanker incident in the Gulf of Oman; referring to a video released by CENTCOM, Hatami said “such videos don’t carry any authenticity”. In related remarks, President Rouhani asserted that Iranian military vessels “are present not only in the Oman Sea, but also in other parts and straits to contribute to the freedom of shipping and fighting terrorism”. View More 19 June 2019 A senior U.S. military official remarked that “we’ve taken on an international responsibility of ensuring freedom of navigation and the movement of oil in and out of the Gulf. That doesn’t mean it’s a U.S.-only problem. If we take this on as a U.S.-only responsibility, nations that benefit from that movement of oil through the Persian Gulf are bearing little or no responsibility for the economic benefit they gain from the movement of that oil”. He added that “we are now in a position where the bulk of that oil goes to … countries in Asia, and none of those countries have shown any predilection to pressing Iran to stop what they are doing”. He went on state that “I’m not suggesting for a moment that we don’t have a significant role to play in that space. But it will require an international consensus before force is used with one specific caveat: If the Iranians come after U.S. citizens, U.S. assets or U.S. military, we reserve the right to respond with a military action. They need to know that, it needs to be very clear”. View More 19 June 2019 Referring to the tanker incident in the Gulf of Oman, Secretary of State Pompeo suggested that Iran was “attempting to use these actions to convince the world that the U.S. should release that [economic] pressure… and so that they can get back to the kind of behaviour that they’ve engaged in for 40 years”. He added that “I regret it’s the case that some are blaming the administration for the escalation when we have spent all of our energy … working to create a situation where deterrence was sufficient so this would not escalate and we wouldn’t end up in a war or with kinetic action between our two countries”. Pompeo also indicated that “the task for us is to shape our policy moving forward, to regain deterrence to prevent Iran from denying freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf”. View More 17 June 2019 After Iran indicated that it was days away from exceeding JCPOA limits on enriched uranium, Prime Minister Netanyahu declared that "should Iran deliver on its current threats, and violate the nuclear deal, the international community will have to implement, immediately, the pre-set sanctions mechanism... in any event, Israel will not allow Iran to get nuclear weaponry". View More 17 June 2019 Acting U.S. Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan announced the deployment of “approximately 1,000 additional troops for defensive purposes to address air, naval and ground-based threats in the Middle East”. Shanahan went on to state that “recent Iranian attacks validate the reliable, credible intelligence we have received on hostile behaviour by Iranian forces and their proxy groups that threaten U.S. personnel and interests”. He added that “the U.S. does not seek conflict with Iran”. Earlier, the Pentagon had released new color photos of the 13 June tanker explosions in the Gulf of Oman, reiterating its assessment that Iran was involved in the incident. View More 17 June 2019 President Trump asserted that “I would certainly go [to war] over nuclear weapons”, though he was more equivocal as to whether he’d do the same over the security of oil shipments. He also characterised the 13 June tanker incident in the Gulf of Oman, which U.S. officials described as part of a series of attacks perpetrated by Iran, as “very minor”. View More 16 June 2019 In a statement, U.S. Central Command announced that "a U.S. MQ-9 was shot down over Yemen by what we asses[s] to be a Huthi SA-6 surface-to-air missile on June 6, 2019. The altitude of the engagement indicated an improvement over previous Huthi capability, which we asses[s] was enabled by Iranian assistance". On the 13th, CENTCOM went on to indicate, "a modified Iranian SA-7 surface-to-air missile attempted to shoot down a U.S. MQ-9 over the Gulf of Oman to disrupt surveillance of the IRGC attack on the M/T Kokuka Courageous... the SA-7 was ineffective". View More 16 June 2019 Secretary of State Pompeo reaffirmed his assessment that the 13 June tanker explosions in the Gulf of Oman "were attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran on commercial shipping, on freedom of navigation, with the clear intent to deny transit through the strait... we have high confidence with respect to who conducted these attacks as well as half a dozen other attacks throughout the world over the past 40 days". "President Trump has done everything he can to avoid war", Pompeo added. "We don't want war. We've done what we can to deter this. The Iranians should understand very clearly that we will continue to take actions that deter Iran from engaging in this kind of behaviour". He also indicated that "Iran will not get a nuclear weapon. That's the goal. That's the objective of our entire campaign with respect to Iran, and to create stability throughout the Middle East as part of that effort". In a separate interview, Pompeo, asked if there was "legal authorisation for a strike on Iran", replied: "We always have the authorisation to defend American interests. Remember, they now have attacked U.S. aircraft". He also contended that "if we relieve sanctions, their nuclear program presents an even greater risk to the U.S." View More 14 June 2019 A day after explosions hit two tankers in the Gulf of Oman, Iran's diplomatic spokesperson insisted that "Iran is responsible for ensuring the security of the Strait of Hormuz, and we showed this by rushing to save the sailors of the incident-hit vessels in the shortest time possible". He added that "pinning the blame on Iran for the suspicious and regrettable incident for the oil tankers seems to be the easiest and most simplistic thing Mr Pompeo and other U.S. statesmen could do". View More 14 June 2019 Referring to the tanker incident in the Gulf of Oman the previous day, President Trump indicated that "Iran did do it". He went on to remark that "we are being very tough. Yes, we're being very tough on sanctions... they're a nation of terror. And they've changed a lot since I've been president, I can tell you. They were unstoppable and now they are in deep, deep trouble". Asked about the possibility that Iran might attempt to close the Strait of Hormuz, Trump replied: "they're not going to be closing it... if it closes, it's not going to be closed for long. And they know it. And they've been told in very strong terms. And we want to get them back to the table if they want to go back. I'm ready when they are. But whenever they're ready, it's ok". He went on to argue that "they're pulling back from everywhere. They're pulling back out of Syria. They're pulling back out of Yemen. They're pulling back - if you take a look at what's actually happening". "I'm not looking to hurt that country", Trump said. "But they can't have a nuclear weapon". View More 13 June 2019 Two tankers in the Gulf of Oman were struck by explosions, resulting in damage to the vessels and the evacuation of their crews. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif weighed in to say that "suspicious doesn't begin to describe what likely transpired this morning", later adding that the "B-Team is sabotaging diplomacy... and covering up economic terrorism by the U.S. against Iran". Secretary of State Pompeo, however, announced that "it is the assessment of the U.S. government that the Islamic Republic of Iran is responsible for the attacks", and CENTCOM maintained that hours after the initial explosions an IRGC vessel pulled an "unexploded limpet mine" off one of the tankers [VIDEO]. A military spokesperson emphasised that "the U.S. has no interest in engaging in a new conflict in the Middle East. However, we will defend our interests". View More 13 June 2019 In remarks following the tanker explosions in the Gulf of Oman earlier in the day, Secretary Pompeo argued that "this is only the latest in a series of attacks instigated by the Islamic Republic of Iran and its surrogates against American and allied interests, and they should be understood in the context of 40 years of unprovoked aggression against freedom-loving nations". Citing a string of events beginning in late April, which Pompeo described as "a clear threat to international peace and security", he went on to contend that "Iran is lashing out because the regime wants our successful maximum pressure campaign lifted", adding that "our policy remains an economic and diplomatic effort to bring Iran back to the negotiating table at the right tome, to encourage a comprehensive deal that addresses the broad range of threats... to peace and security". "Iran should meet diplomacy with diplomacy", Pompeo advised, "not with terror, bloodshed and extortion". View More 8 June 2019 The commander of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group, whose deployment had been part of the bolstered U.S. military presence following "escalatory indications" purportedly emanating from Iran in early May, stated that "since we've been operating in the region, we've had several interactions with Iranians. To this point all have been safe and professional". In related remarks, CENTCOM's commander contented that, in light of the deployments, the Iranians were "recalculating. They have to take this into account as they think about various actions that they might take. So we think this is having a very good stabilising effect". He added that "I think things are pretty quiet right now". View More 6 June 2019 In a briefing to the UN Security Council regarding the 12 May tanker incident, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Norway assessed that "the four attacks were part of a sophisticated and coordinated operation carried out by an actor with significant operational capacity, most likely a state actor". The Saudi envoy subsequently asserted that "the responsibility for this action lies on the shoulders of Iran. We have no hesitation in making this statement". View More 6 June 2019 The head of U.S. Central Command maintained that the bolstering of U.S. forces in the region "caused the Iranians to back up a little bit, but I'm not sure they are strategically backing down". "I hesitate to say that deterrence has been established", he added. "We continue to see possible imminent threats". View More 2 June 2019 A senior Iranian military official warned that “the first firing [of rockets] in the Persian Gulf will hike up the oil price to more than $100”. He went on to note that “in the Persian Gulf, the whole American and foreign fleets are within the range of IRGC’s coast-to-sea missiles, which can reach to over 300km”. He further supported Foreign Minister Zarif’s proposal regarding a regional non-aggression pact and maintained “my suggestion is to sign the pact with some countries and form a coalition with some others”. View More 1 June 2019 In an interview with a U.S. television station, Foreign Minister Zarif characterised the maximum pressure campaign against Iran as “economic terrorism”. He described the possibility of negotiation with President Trump as “not very likely” and maintained: “He is imposing pressure, this may work in a real estate market, it does not work in dealing with Iran”. Asked to comment on the alleged “cruise missiles being put on small Iranian boats” in the Persian Gulf, Zarif maintained that “we have the right to defend ourselves … these ships are located very close to our waters, we have the right to put whatever missiles we want to put on them”. He concluded his remarks by saying to Trump, “threats against Iran never work. Never threaten an Iranian, try respect. That may work”. View More 30 May 2019 Backing Bolton’s claims that Iran was behind the 12 May Fujairah incident, Secretary Pompeo insisted that “these were efforts by the Iranians to raise the price of crude oil throughout the world”. View More 29 May 2019 In Abu Dhabi, National Security Advisor John Bolton argued that the 12 May Fujairah incident involved “naval mines almost certainly from Iran”, adding that “it’s clear that Iran is behind the Fujairah attack”. Iran’s diplomatic spokesperson hit back at Bolton’s remarks, calling them “ridiculous allegation”. “Mr. Bolton and the other warmongering and bellicose ones must know that the Islamic Republic of Iran … will prevent materialization of their ominous plans for creating chaos in the region”, the spokesperson added. View More 26 May 2019 A senior IRGC official argued that "the Americans have been present in the region since 1833 and they are currently at the weakest state throughout the history of their presence in West Asia, and have the minimum number of warships in the Persian Gulf". View More 25 May 2019 An IRGC advisor remarked that "the enemy will understand what we will do with it in case of the slightest folly in the Persian Gulf waters. The Americans should avoid staging a show with deploying two warships in our region". He went to warn that Iran would sink the U.S. vessels if they "make any mistake or folly" using "two missiles or two new and fully secret weapons that we have". View More 24 May 2019 An IRGC general insisted that "we are today witnessing American soldiers in the Persian Gulf with shivering hands and pale faces standing behind a mountain of equipment living like robots in the face of the will of the progenies of this nation". "Whom are you trying to frighten with sending troops from thousands of miles away", he queried. View More 22 May 2019 A senior IRGC official stressed that “everything north of the Strait of Hormuz is under our control” and maintained that U.S. naval forces “cannot approach the waters that fall without our mare clausum”. In related remarks, a senior Iranian defence official reportedly emphasised Iran’s “integrated missile and radar systems” in delivering “a firm and crushing response” against threats to the country. View More 21 May 2019 Addressing U.S. moves to increase its military assets in the Persian Gulf, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif warned that "having all these military assets in a small waterway is, in and of itself, prone to accident, particularly when you have people who are interested in accidents". "Extreme prudence is required", Zarif added, "and we believe that the U.S. is playing a very, very dangerous game". View More 19 May 2019 U.S. Central Command stated that "Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations commenced enhanced security patrols across the region in international waters May 18", adding that "ships of the GCC - both navies and coast guards - are working in tight coordination with each other and the United States navy". View More 17 May 2019 An IRGC official indicated that "even our short-range missiles can easily reach [U.S.] warships in the Persian Gulf". View More 16 May 2019 Tehran's UN envoy stated that "we are not planning for a war. War is not an option for Iran. But at the same time, we have to be prepared for any action against our forces, against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iran. Therefore we are vigilant. We are doing everything possible to lower the tension in the region". "Unfortunately", he added, "there are certain people, both in Washington as well as in our region, who are interested to escalate the tension, who are interested to agitate the situation, to provoke. And I believe that it is in everybody's interest to prevent such an eventuality". The ambassador went on to argue that there were "fake allegations, which are being directed to Iran, against Iran, to prepare something like a conflict something like a war". View More 16 May 2019 U.S. aviation authorities advised "caution when operating in overwater airspace above the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman due to heightened military activities and increased political tensions in the region", warning of "potential for miscalculation or mis-identification" and "GPS interference and other communications jamming". View More 14 May 2019 The Saudi government reported that "two pump stations on the East-West pipeline were attacked by armed drones which caused a fire and minor damage to Pump Station No. 8"; a senior official stressed that "these attacks prove again that it is important for us to face terrorist entities, including the Huthi militias in Yemen that are backed by Iran". A Huthi spokesperson subsequently took responsibility for the action, stating that "this is a message to Saudi Arabia, stop your aggression. Our goal is to respond to the crimes they are committing every day against the Yemeni people". View More 13 May 2019 Discussing the 12 May Fujairah incident, an unnamed U.S. officials speculated that "this is what Iran does... the sort of thing you could see Iran doing". Separate reports relayed an "initial assessment" that "Iranian or Iranian-backed proxies" were culpable for damage to four vessels made by "explosive charges". View More 12 May 2019 A senior Iranian naval official contended that "the presence of the Americans in the Persian Gulf region has reached its end and they must leave the region... their presence is just for show, futile and deceitful". In related remarks, a senior IRGC official claimed that "an aircraft carrier... was a serious threat for us in the past, but is now a target and threats have turned into opportunity". He also warned that "if Americans make a [mistaken] move, we will hit them on the head". View More 12 May 2019 The UAE indicated that "four commercial ships were subjected to sabotage operations... near UAE territorial waters in the Gulf of Oman". The Saudi government announced the following day that "two Saudi oil tankers were subjected to a sabotage attack in the exclusive economic zone of the United Arab Emirates, off the coast of the Emirate of Fujairah, while on their way to the Arabian Gulf... it caused significant damage to the structures of the two vessels". Iran's diplomatic spokesperson called the developments "concerning and regrettable". View More 10 May 2019 The Pentagon announced a green light for "the movement of USS Arlington (LPD-24) and a Patriot battery to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) as part of the command's original request for forces from earlier this week. These assets will join the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a U.S. Air Force bomber task force in the Middle East region in response to indications of heightened Iranian readiness to conduct offensive operations against U.S forces and our interests". View More 9 May 2019 Discussing the USS Lincoln carrier strike group, whose deployment was cited as part of the U.S.' "clear and unmistakable message" in response to "troubling and escalatory indications and warnings" from Iran, a senior U.S. naval commander indicated that "if I need to bring it inside the strait [of Hormuz], I will do so... I'm not restricted in any way". He added that "I am not in a war-plan footing and have not been tasked to do so. However, we are absolutely ready to respond to any aggression against the U.S., partners in the region or our interests". View More 9 May 2019 In an advisory, the U.S Maritime Administration assessed that "since early May, there is an increased possibility that Iran and/or its regional proxies could take action against U.S. and partners interests, including oil production infrastructure, after recently threatening to close the Strait of Hormuz. Iran or its proxies could respond by targeting commercial vessels, including oil tankers, or U.S. military vessels in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait or the Persian Gulf". View More 8 May 2019 CENTCOM commander Kenneth McKenzie asserted that "the long-term, enduring, most significant threat to stability in the Central Command AOR [Area of Responsibility] is Iran... their hegemonic ambitions, their misbehaviour, their threats to us and our partners in the region, have been consistent elements of the regime's policy for many years". He added that "we know that the Iranian regime knows what our military capabilities are, and they have a healthy respect for them... and while they have avoided direct military conflict with the U.S. and our partners, they have demonstrated the willingness and ability to attack our people, our interests and our friends and allies in the confusing, complex zone just short of armed conflict". McKenzie also addressed the U.S. decision to boost military assets in the region following "escalatory indications" from Iran, stating that "we're not seeking a fight with the Iranian regime, but we do have a military force that's designed to be agile, adaptive and prepared to respond to a variety of contingencies in the Middle East and around the world... if a fight is to be had, we'll be fully prepared to respond and defend our interests - and it won't be a fair fight". View More 6 May 2019 Following National Security Advisor John Bolton's announcement on the deployment of additional U.S. military assets as a "clear and unmistakable message to the Iranian regime", Secretary of State Pompeo stated that "it is absolutely the case that we've seen escalatory action from the Iranians, and it is equally the case that we will hold the Iranians accountable for attacks on American interests". Pompeo added that "the Iranians understand exactly what our view is of the threats that they're posing to U.S. interests around the world". Acting Secretary of Defence Shanahan described the moves as "a prudent repositioning of assets in response to indications of a credible threat by Iranian regime forces", further declaring that "we call on the Iranian regime to cease all provocation. We will hold the Iranian regime accountable for any attack on U.S. forces or our interests". View More 5 May 2019 In a statement, National Security Advisor John Bolton announced that "in response to a number of troubling and escalatory indications and warnings, the U.S. is deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region to send a clear and unmistakable message to the Iranian regime that any attack on U.S. interests or on those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force". Bolton added that "the U.S. is not seeking war with the Iranian regime, but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the IRGC or regular Iranian forces". View More 3 May 2019 Foreign Minister Javad Zarif indicated that "we have been very clear that we have no interest in escalation [of tensions with the U.S.]" He went on to assert that "the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz are our lifeline... we want them safe, secure and free for navigation of all countries, including Iran". "Iran won't permit the U.S. to threaten the Persian Gulf", Zarif added. View More 2 May 2019 Bahrain's top diplomat indicated that "we see an opportunity for Tehran to review its policy, which had so far brought it to the bring of the abyss". He also opined that Iranian statements about blocking the Strait of Hormuz constitute "a blunt threat to all Gulf states. I still believe that Iran might think thoroughly before taking such a step because it would be a dangerous escalation that would not be allowed to last for even one day". View More 30 April 2019 A senior Iranian diplomat warned that "the two forces [i.e. those of Iran and the U.S.], which have been reciprocally designated as terrorist groups, may engage in clashes in the Persian Gulf or any other region... there is no doubt that the U.S. will be held accountable for such a situation". View More 30 April 2019 Referring to the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami maintained that "we have the power to protect our vital interests in this strait and make the necessary decisions in a timely manner". He added that in addition to naval capabilities, "we have other powers, including the missile power and several other ones, so that we can make the necessary decisions in due time and perform them strongly". View More 28 April 2019 Iran's military chief of staff indicated that "as oil and commodities of other countries are passing through the Strait of Hormuz, ours are also moving through it". He further remarked that "we will definitely confront anyone who attempts to destabilise the Strait of Hormuz, and if our crude is not to pass... others' will not pass either". View More 27 April 2019 Iranian media released footage of U.S. naval forces in the Persian Gulf purportedly filmed by IRGC drones. A U.S. military spokesperson subsequently suggested that "the footage the Iranians recently released... appears to be several years old". View More 24 April 2019 Two days after the U.S. decided to end sanctions waivers on Iranian oil, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif predicted that "Iran will continue to sell its oil. We will continue to find buyers for our oil and we will continue to use the Strait of Hormuz as a safe transit passage for the sale of our oil... if the U.S. takes the crazy measure of trying to prevent us from doing that, then it should be prepared for the consequences". He further assessed that senior Israeli and U.S. officials sought "regime change at the very least" and could be "plotting an accident anywhere in the region". Zarif also indicated that "I'm ready... and I have authority" to negotiate a prisoner swap with the U.S. View More 24 April 2019 Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif indicated that "ships can go through the Strait of Hormuz", adding that "if the U.S. wanted to continue to observe the rules of engagement, the rules of the game, the channels of communication, the prevailing protocols, then in spite of the fact that we consider U.S. presence in the Persian Gulf as inherently destabilising, we're not going to take any action". View More 23 April 2019 A U.S. diplomat urged "Iran, and all countries, to respect the free flow of energy and commerce, and freedom of navigation". View More 22 April 2019 The commander of IRGC naval forces warned that "if Iran's benefits in the Strait of Hormuz, which according to international rules is an international waterway, are denied, we will close it". View More 12 April 2019 A senior U.S. naval official indicated that, following the U.S. decision to designate the IRGC as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO), "the U.S. Navy has not adjusted its operations and will continue to operate wherever international law allows". View More 9 April 2019 Iran's Expediency Council secretary, who previously served as the IRGC's commander, advised President Trump by tweet to "tell your aircraft carriers to avoid sailing near the IRGC boats". View More 24 March 2019 The U.S. inked a deal with Oman "governing U.S. access to facilities and ports in Salalah and Duqm". A U.S. official explained that "we used to operate on the assumption that we could just steam into the Gulf... [but] the quality and quantity of Iranian weapons raise concerns". The official further noted that "the port [of Duqm] itself is very attractive and the geostrategic location is very attractive... being outside the Strait of Hormuz". View More 22 March 2019 The U.S. special representative for Iran, Brian Hook, noted that "we know historically that Iran has given Hizbollah an average of $700 million a year... we have seen evidence of the impact [of U.S. sanctions] when the leader of Hizbollah makes a public appeal for charity. It speaks for itself. This is the kind of impact that we want". He added that "we know that we have denied the [Iranian] regime even in the short amount of time [since sanctions came into effect] many billions of dollars in revenue", and underscored that the U.S. held "talks with any government where we see sanctions violations or even potential sanctions violations". Hook went on to underscore that "we are... committed to ensuring that troops under Iranian command are out of Syria", and suggested Iran had a "vastly-under reported role in Yemen" despite having "no legitimate interest" in the country. "Giving [Iran] a foothold in Yemen", Hook argued, "allows them to threaten two straits of international commerce". View More 17 March 2019 A senior Iranian defence official revealed that a naval group had been deployed "in order to ensure the security of the Islamic Republic of Iran's shipping lines in the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Bab al-Mandab". View More 16 March 2019 Iran's oil minister asserted that "we are taking [the necessary] measures to export Iran's oil", while cautioning that should the U.S. "make conditions difficult for the exports, conditions will also become more difficult for the world". View More 14 March 2019 As Iran carried out military exercises in the Persian Gulf, a senior IRGC official commented that "despite the empty and satanic dreams of the U.S. and ill-wishers of the Iranian nation, we witnessed tens of modern and advanced domestic RQ-170s and other types of combat drones in flight during a major drill and unique offensive operation". View More 13 March 2019 One week after Prime Minister Netanyahu indicated that "Iran is trying to bypass the sanctions on it through covert smuggling of petroleum via the sea" and warned that Israel's "navy will have a more important role in efforts to block these Iranian actions", Iran's Defence Minister, Amir Hatami, stated that "if they [i.e Israel] have this intention, the issue will be considered as a measure of international insecurity and banditry". Hatami went on to say that "Iran enjoys the required capability to respond to this issue and if it happens, it will give a crushing response". View More 7 March 2019 In a statement to the House Armed Services Committee, CENTCOM commander Joseph Votel assessed that "Iran exerts its malign influence throughout the region, through its increased - often unprofessional - activities in the Arabian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, engaging in proxy warfare through its sponsorship of violent extremist organisations (VEOs), and proliferating advanced conventional weapons, including theatre ballistic missiles and weaponised unmanned aerial and maritime systems. Operating in the grey zone of competition below open conflict, Iran conducts unfettered information and cyber campaigns against its adversaries and actively attempts to influence or obstruct the mechanisms of effective governance and domestic politics of several of its sovereign regional neighbours". Looking ahead, Votel anticipated that "Iran will continue to seek to expand its political influence and military presence in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, and to threaten international trade and regional stability throughout the central region". View More 7 March 2019 An Iranian oil tanker reportedly came under attack by pirates in speedboats; commandos from an Iranian naval patrol intervened to repulse the raid. View More 23 February 2019 Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary, Ali Shamkhani, indicated that "Iran has designed and put into practice initiatives that would neutralise the illegal U.S. sanctions against Iran's export of oil", while warning that "cutting off [regional] oil exports does not necessarily amount to blocking the Strait of Hormuz. In fact, there are multiple methods to make that happen". View More 22 February 2019 A senior Iranian military official claimed that "the smallest movements along the water borders of the country, especially in the Persian Gulf, are observed with the full authority of the navy, and nothing remains hidden from the sharp eye of the IRGC". View More 21 February 2019 Ahead of a major naval drill, a senior Iranian military official indicated that "missiles with different ranges will be launched from warships and for the first time submarine-launched missiles will also be practiced". He added with respect to the latter that "for the first time these weapons will be tested seriously and we can make the maritime regions unsafe for the enemy in any way possible". View More 17 February 2019 President Rouhani declared that "the power that can defend the country's interests from hundreds of miles away is the navy... the navy is capable of defending not only our coasts in the Persian Gulf, the Oman Sea, the Caspian Sea and the Indian Ocean, but also the interests of the Islamic Republic of Iran with its presence and authority in international waters". He added that "Bandar Abbas and all southern ports of Iran, the Strait of Hormuz and all our territorial waters are witness and proof of Iran's armed force defending free shipping in the region and the flow of energy around the world, which suggests that Iran's power is never a threat to others". View More 13 February 2019 A senior U.S. defence official assessed that the Iranians "have a growing capability in cruise missiles, they have a growing capability in ballistic missiles, they have a growing capability in unmanned surfaced systems, all these things that we watch that are offensive, and destabilising in nature". He also indicated Iranian transfers by sea of "materials, weapons, arms, missiles to surrogates around the region to be able to promulgate their vision of this region with them as the predominant force... we have seen their hand in the Red Sea with unmanned systems - air systems and surface systems - so we've seen them utilise the maritime as a transport for them exporting their version of the region with them in charge". View More 6 February 2019 A senior Iranian defence official indicated that "we did not have any coast-to-sea missiles before the Islamic Revolution; but our missiles have reached a range of 300km today and will even increase in the near future". View More 5 February 2019 In a statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee, CENTCOM commander Joseph Votel noted that "Iran exerts its malign influence throughout the region, through its increased - often unprofessional - activities in the Arabian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, engaging in proxy warfare through its sponsorship of violent extremist organisations (VEOs) and proliferating advanced conventional weapons, including theatre ballistic missiles and weaponised unmanned aerial and maritime systems. Operating in the grey zone of competition below open conflict, Iran conducts unfettered information and cyber campaigns against its adversaries and actively attempts to influence or obstruct the mechanisms of effective governance and domestic policies of several of its sovereign regional neighbours". Looking ahead, Votel assessed that "Iran will continue to seek to expand its political influence and military presence in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen and to threaten international trade and regional stability throughout the Central Region". View More 30 January 2019 During a visit to Abu Musa island, the IRGC's commander asserted that "our friendly and neighbourly nations and governments have realised that the Islamic Republic of Iran is their genuine brother and companion, and that the security of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf waters would be ensured only by the regional countries... Iran plays a significant and leading role in establishing such security". View More 29 January 2019 The U.S. intelligence community assessed that Iran "may increase harassment of U.S. and allied warships and merchant vessels in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman". It added that "unprofessional interactions conducted by the IRGC Navy against U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf... could resume should Iran seek to project an image of strength in response to U.S. pressure". View More 31 December 2018 Iran's military chief of staff warned that "Iran's southern neighbours should know that besides its peace-loving doctrine, the Islamic Republic has a powerful and decisive military presence and, if needed, it will defend its territorial integrity and hold the inviting states as responsible for the aftermaths". He added that those countries "should not tie their hopes to America". View More 31 December 2018 A senior Iranian defence official indicated that "we are planning to increase the radar-evading capability and agility of the IRGC speed boats", and arming them with "new, very small missiles". View More 29 December 2018 Foreign Minister Javad Zarif opined that "the presence of the U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf produced extensive tension rather than being constructive". View More 24 December 2018 Speaking after the passage of the USS Stennis through the Strait of Hormuz and into the Persian Gulf, a senior Iranian defence official argued that "the presence of this [U.S.] fleet is not important for us since it can do nothing against us... we will never let the fleet come near Iran's territorial waters". In related remarks, an IRGC spokesperson assessed that "in the past ten months, due to the absence of an American [aircraft] carrier in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman, we witnessed increased security and calmness and reduced incidents in this strategic area". View More 22 December 2018 The IRGC's commander asserted that "it is the Islamic Republic which ensures the security of the region, Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and friendly countries". He went on to indicate that "from now on, we should be prepared for offence and pursuing enemies". In related remarks, another senior IRGC official indicated that "our core principles and doctrine are defensive but at the operational and tactical levels, it is offensive... when the enemy has an ill-intention against our country we should attack it because our deterrent factor would be the same offense". View More 21 December 2018 The USS Stennis, a U.S. aircraft carrier, sailed through the Strait of Hormuz en route to the Persian Gulf. Media reports indicated that "IRGC vessels shadowed the Stennis and its strike group, at one point launching rockets away from it and flying a drone nearby". However, an Iranian naval official subsequently maintained that "shooting rockets... is a blatant lie". View More 5 December 2018 Commenting on the deployment of a U.S. aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf, Foreign Minister Javad Zarif opined that "the presence of foreign forces in the Persian Gulf undermines regional security. But the Islamic Republic will defend its territorial integrity and national interests with all [its] power". View More 4 December 2018 President Rouhani declared that "we will sell our oil and they [i.e. the U.S.] can't stop us from doing this. If the U.S. wants to stop our oil sales, no oil will be exported from the Persian Gulf". View More 4 December 2018 The U.S. special representative for Iran, Brian Hook, stated that "Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz again. The Islamic Republic of Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is an international waterway. The U.S. will continue to work with our partners to ensure frequent navigation and the free flow of commerce in international waterways". View More 1 December 2018 A senior Iranian military official asserted that the partnership between Iran's regular and IRGC navies had "entered a new season", and opined that "it is this will and spirit which has made us guardians of security in the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman". View More 30 November 2018 A senior Iranian naval official indicated that "53 Iranian naval squadrons comprising warships and destroyers have a constant presence in the Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandab". View More 29 November 2018 A senior Iranian naval official remarked that "despite the U.S. sanctions, Iran has safeguarded Hormuz Strait's security all the time and it will never allow anybody to create centres of insecurity and commit acts of mischief in the region". View More 28 November 2018 Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei advised Iranian naval officials to "enhance your abilities and preparations as much as you can so that the enemies of Iran do not even dare to threaten this great nation". "The Islamic Republic does not intend to start a war with anyone", Khamenei noted, "however, you need to strengthen your abilities so much so that not only the enemy will fear attacking Iran, but... the shadow of intimidation and threats will also go away". View More 21 November 2018 A senior IRGC official indicated that "the U.S. bases around us are within our reach and are easy meat for us", citing military facilities in Qatar, Afghanistan and the UAE. "U.S. aircraft carriers", he added, "are like shooting targets for us". View More 19 November 2018 A senior Iranian military official noted that "since the start of the current year, the figures indicate that the Americans and their allies have left the Persian Gulf and they do not have any meaningful presence in the region". "Their presence", he added, "yielded no result but insecurity and gap among regional states". Remaining vessels, he claimed, "are monitored from ground and air and all their words are tapped". View More 13 November 2018 A senior Iranian defence official stated that "we do not believe that the presence of elements from outside the region could ensure the appropriate collective maritime security", adding that "an increase in the geopolitical weight of regional powers... and turning into credible naval powers in the region reveal the onset of a process for replacement of the naval power in the region". View More 12 November 2018 A senior Iranian military official declared that "Iran's armed forces... are prepared today as in the past to protect our fleet of oil tankers against any threats so that it can continue to use marine waterways". View More 3 November 2018 A senior IRGC official opined that "the U.S. economy is not capable of handling a new war. A combat with the Islamic Republic will push the war to outside the region, because the U.S. military structure is worn out and they have been almost driven out of the Persian Gulf". He went on to caution that "U.S. aircraft carriers are within the range of the ballistic missiles with pin-point accuracy that are capable of hitting mobile targets". View More 29 October 2018 A senior Iranian defence official assessed that "the Persian Gulf is the most important and strategic waterway in the world and is among the most vital interests of the country... whoever rules this region, it means that he controls the energy of the world". View More 27 October 2018 U.S. Secretary of Defence James Mattis posited that "we stand against Iran's unsafe, even reckless behaviour in the maritime domain, like the July attacks on international shipping by Iranian-supplied Huthis in the Bab al-Mandab. These behaviours flout freedom of navigation and disrupt maritime security and global trade". View More 18 October 2018 A U.S. military spokesperson remarked that "even with decreased incidents, we remain concerned with the increased number of Iranian UAVs operating in international airspace at night without navigation lights or an active transponder as would be expected according to international norms". View More 9 October 2018 A senior IRGC naval official asserted that "if the Persian Gulf gets unsafe for us, it will be unsafe for everyone". View More 9 October 2018 A senior IRGC official asserted that "the IRGC Navy's strategy in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz is based on [a] mighty presence in Iran's territorial waters and the Americans are fully aware of this operational and military power". He also indicated that "the IRGC Navy uses its vessels and drones to fully monitor any move by the U.S. vessels". View More 30 September 2018 Iranian media broadcast footage of a purported 21 March encounter between U.S. and IRGC naval forces. View More 25 September 2018 President Rouhani posited that "the security of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz has always been important for us... we will confront any and all disruptive efforts in this critical waterway in the future". View More 25 September 2018 Secretary Pompeo asserted that "Iranian vessels harass ships in international waterways based on maritime claims made in defiance of international law...if the Iranian regime thinks the Strait of Hormuz belongs solely to them, you can bet your last rial that the U.S. will never stand for that". View More 24 September 2018 President Rouhani remarked that "if the U.S. wishes to use force in order to sanction the petroleum industry of Iran, it will certainly see the appropriate response... we do have the power to secure our own waterways and keep our waterways free". "This is not a warning", Rouhani added. "This is a reality. If the Persian Gulf waterway is to remain free and secure, it must remain so for everyone". View More 21 September 2018 Iran kicked off military drills in the Persian Gulf. View More 6 September 2018 The commander of the IRGC's navy opined "that the presence of the U.S. warships in the region not only undermines the security of the regional countries, but also poses environmental problems to the waters". View More 5 September 2018 The IRGC's commander remarked that "Iran's message to the Persian Gulf littoral states is peace and friendship, and the establishment of joint cooperation to ensure security in the Persian Gulf waterway without the presence of foreign forces". He added that "Iran's military power in the region is only meant for defence and deterrence". View More 4 September 2018 President Rouhani declared that "a major part of our oil sales must move from Kharg [Island off Iran's western coast] to Jask [in southern Iran]. View More 29 August 2018 Iran's military chief of staff asserted that "thanks to the IRGC Navy's preparedness and capabilities, the hostile countries are anxious before entering the Strait of Hormuz, as they have obeyed the international [maritime] law over the past year, and if they go beyond the law, they will face the IRGC Navy's counteraction and controlling measures". "The enemies", he added, "should realise that the Persian Gulf is not a proper place for war and clashes". View More 27 August 2018 The head of the IRGC's navy declared that "we defend the Islamic Republic's interests in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz and the enemy cannot trouble us in the region. The Persian Gulf is our home and we can establish security in here with the help of the neighbouring states and there is no need for the presence of foreign states, including the U.S." View More 27 August 2018 The secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, asserted that "Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait is an international waterway. The U.S. will continue to work with our partners to ensure freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce in international waterways". View More 23 August 2018 Alireza Tangsiri was tapped to lead the IRGC's naval forces. View More 10 August 2018 U.S. officials indicated that Iran had tested a Fateh-110 ballistic missile during naval drills in the Strait of Hormuz. View More 8 August 2018 The commander of U.S. Central Command, Joseph Votel, confirmed that "so far this calendar year, we have not seen any incidents [with Iran] that we would characterise as unsafe or unprofessional... I'm glad that that's the case; I would encourage them to continue to do that". He added that in the Strait of Hormuz, "Iran has a layer of capabilities... but I would just suggest we have capabilities as well". On recent Iranian naval drills, Votel asserted that "the scope and scale of the exercise we saw was similar to what we've seen with other exercises that they've done in this region... I think it's pretty clear to us that they were trying to use that exercise to send a message to us that as we approach this period of the sanctions here, that they have some capabilities". View More 6 August 2018 A senior Iranian military official declared that "Iran is the guarantor of the security of the Persian Gulf region and the Strait of Hormuz and no one else is allowed to talk about the security of this region apart from us". View More 5 August 2018 The IRGC confirmed that it had carried out naval drills, saying that "the exercise was conducted with the aim of controlling and safeguarding the international waterway, within the framework of the IRGC's annual calendar exercises program". The IRGC's commander further "emphasised the need to maintain and enhance all-faceted defence readiness in order to secure the strategic waterway of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz and to proportionately counter potential threats and adventurism by the enemies". View More 2 August 2018 Iran's foreign minister, Javad Zarif, posited on Twitter that the "U.S. Navy can't seem to find its way around our waters. Perhaps because it hasn't figured out its name: Persian Gulf... or maybe it doesn't know what it's doing in our backyard, seven thousand miles from home". View More 2 August 2018 U.S. officials assessed that Iran had launched a naval drill involving "possibly more than 100 vessels". View More 1 August 2018 The commander of Iran's navy asserted that "if any oil faucet in the region is turned on and the petrodollars go to the pocket of those who threaten Iran, it will definitely have impacts on the security of the Strait [of Hormuz]". View More 1 August 2018 U.S. Central Command issued a statement noting that "we are aware of the increase in Iranian naval operations within the Arabian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman. We are monitoring it closely, and will continue to work with our partners to ensure freedom of navigation and free flow of commerce in international waterways". The statement added that "we continue to advocate for all maritime forces to conform to international maritime customs, standards and laws". View More 31 July 2018 A senior Iranian naval official declared that "the Strait of Hormuz remaining open hinges on Iran's interests and the international community should live up to its obligations towards the Islamic Republic". View More 31 July 2018 President Rouhani asserted that "Iran has never sought tensions in the region and does not want any problem to happen for [the] world's waterways, but [it] will never let go of its rights to export oil". View More 28 July 2018 A senior IRGC official asserted that "Iran's geopolitical position is such that without the presence of the Islamic Republic it is impossible to ensure the security of the waterways in the region... this security is influenced by Iran's political will. For what, when a country threatens to stop Iranian oil exports, Iran's reciprocal threat is a credible one". View More 27 July 2018 The U.S. defence secretary, Jim Mattis, remarked that "Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz. They've done that previously in years past... clearly, this would be an attack on international shipping, and it would have, obviously, an international response to reopen the shipping lanes with whatever that took, because the world's economy depends on that energy, those energy supplies flowing out of there". View More 26 July 2018 The commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, warned President Trump that "war would mean the destruction of all your resources. You might start the war, but we would be the ones ending it". Soleimani added that "I myself and the IRGC's Quds Force are enough to face you as an adversary", and claimed that "we are near you, where you can't even imagine". He also asserted that "the Red Sea, which was secure, is no longer secure with the American presence". View More 25 July 2018 The IRGC's commander opined that "if the adventurous president of the U.S. hears about the IRGC's capabilities today... he will never make such a damn mistake [threatening Iran] and will realise that responding to an oil threat would be easy [for Iran]". View More 24 July 2018 Iran's military chief of staff asserted that "Iran, as the superior power in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, has always guaranteed security of shipping in the vital waterway... and enjoys the power to make any move [it desires] in this region". View More 22 July 2018 A senior Iranian military official stated that "the president's warning is not a new warning and our nation and armed forces have been warning about this for years. I would like to repeat that again, the Strait of Hormuz must either be open or closed for all". View More 22 July 2018 President Rouhani warned that "we are the... guarantor of security of the waterway of the region throughout history. Don't play with the lion's tail; you will regret it". View More 21 July 2018 Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei asserted that "the remarks made by the President... stating that 'if Iran's oil export is blocked, no other country in the region can export oil either', are important remarks that represent the approach and policies of the establishment". View More 16 July 2018 A senior Iranian military official asserted that following the January 2016 detention of ten U.S sailors, "we witnessed a more lawful behaviour from the Americans in the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz regions, so if there have been any cuts in the number of confrontations, it is because the U.S. has learned its lessons, otherwise there have been no particular changes in the IRGC Navy's routine patrols". View More 10 July 2018 A senior Iranian lawmaker opined that "the Americans are not prepared for a new war in the Persian Gulf, therefore President [Rouhani's] words were a good threat that will result in a positive impact and act as a deterrent to any bans against Iran's oil exports". View More 10 July 2018 An Iranian military official opined that the U.S. has grown "more abiding by... international law in the past seven months, which goes to show a considerable drop in their adventurist behaviour in the Persian Gulf". View More 10 July 2018 The secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, underscored that the U.S. "is committed to keeping sea lines open, keeping the transit of oil available for the entire world". View More 8 July 2018 President Trump tweeted data indicating a decrease in Iranian harassment of U.S. vessels. View More 5 July 2018 A U.S. military spokesperson affirmed that "we stand ready to ensure the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce wherever international law allows". View More 5 July 2018 The IRGC commander, Mohammad Ali Jafari, declared that "we will make the enemy understand that either all can use the Strait of Hormuz or no one". View More 4 July 2018 In a letter to President Rouhani, the commander of the IRGC's Quds Force, Qasem Soleimani, wrote that "your remarks that if the Islamic Republic of Iran's oil is not exported, there will be no guarantee for export of oil from any other point in this region... is a source of pride and honour". View More 2 July 2018 President Rouhani cautioned that "it seems they [ie the U.S.] do not understand what they are saying when they say Iran will not be allowed to export even a single drop of oil... all right, if you can do such a thing, do it and see the result!" View More 14 May 2018 The U.S. chief of naval operations, John Richardson, described "a period of uncertainty that we are entering right now" which necessitates being "even a little bit more alert than usual". View More 26 April 2018 President Trump observed that "we haven't seen their little boats circling our ships in the ocean lately, because they know if they do circle the ships they're not going to be there very long". View More 29 January 2018 The IRGC's naval chief noted that "we are now observing a more rule-abiding and less confrontational behavior by American forces in maritime routes of the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz". View More 25 January 2018 The Pentagon indicated that there had been no unsafe and/or professional interactions between U.S. and Iranian naval forces since August 2017. View More 22 January 2018 As Iranian forces launched a two-day exercise off the southern coast, a military spokesman announced that "two warships belonging to the [U.S.-led] coalition approached the drill's area" and were warned off. View More 19 December 2017 A senior military adviser to Iran’s supreme leader (and former commander of the IRGC), Yahya Rahim Safavi, posited that the “Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman will be [the] frontline of possible future battles”. View More 28 November 2017 Iran marked national navy day by announcing new weapons systems and “the Middle East’s biggest training warship”. View More 22 November 2017 The commander of Iran’s navy, Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi, announced that Iran “would unveil new vessels and submarines within the next year”, and dispatch ships across the Atlantic for visits to Latin America. View More 8 October 2017 The IRGC navy conducted a naval parade in the Persian Gulf, deploying “more than 110 rocket-launching speedboats, long-, mid- and short-range missile launchers, mining vessels as well as reconnaissance, defensive and logistic vessels” for the occasion. View More 10 September 2017 The Iranian media reported that Iran’s navy had warned off a U.S. vessel from approaching a stricken fishing boat approximately 70km off Iran’s southern coast. U.S. officials denied that there had been navy-to-navy communication. View More 3 September 2017 The chief of staff of Iran’s military, Mohammad Baqeri, dismissed the possibility of U.S.-Iran naval coordination. “Unfortunately”, said Baqri, “a country from the other side of the world … assumes special rights [for itself] in the Persian Gulf and says ‘Iran should coordinate with us if it wants to approach us’, which is precisely [an instance of] excessive demand”. View More 14 August 2017 U.S. officials said that an Iranian drone approached the USS Nimitz on 13 August and “conducted an unsafe and unprofessional approach”. View More 8 August 2017 U.S. officials reported an “unsafe and unprofessional interaction” by an Iranian QOM-1 drone against a U.S. aircraft from the USS Nimitz. U.S. Central Command listed the incident as “the 13th unsafe and/or unprofessional interaction between U.S. and Iranian maritime forces in 2017”. View More 29 July 2017 The IRGC released a statement accusing the U.S. navy of “a provocative and unprofessional move” against IRGC boats the previous day. View More 25 July 2017 The USS Thunderbolt fired at an approaching Iranian ship. U.S. officials stated that “the IRGC navy boat was coming in at a high rate of speed. It did not respond to any signals, they did not respond to any bridge-to-bridge calls, [the Thunderbolt] felt there was no choice except to fire the warning shots”. The IRGC said that the U.S. fired “with the aim of provocation and intimidation”. View More 15 June 2017 According to U.S. defence officials, an IRGC navy guided-missile boat “harassed” three U.S. ships in the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranians also “trained a laser on a CH-53E helicopter that accompanied the formation”, an act that U.S. officials characterised as “unsafe and unprofessional” conduct. View More See more Loading Video A U.S. Navy patrol boat fired warning shots near an Iranian vessel, 25 July 2017 AP III. Background The Gulf has for decades been an arena for U.S.-Iran friction. This was most dramatically highlighted during the last days of the Iran-Iraq war, when the U.S. navy launched Operation Earnest Will in 1987 to protect U.S.-allied vessels in the area. In Operation Praying Mantis in April 1988, U.S. forces sank or severely damaged half of Iran’s operational fleet days after a U.S. frigate was badly hit by an Iranian mine off the coast of Qatar. The Gulf largely falls within the purview of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) navy, though the regular army’s navy operates there as well. Over the years, in response to foreign pressure, Iran has repeatedly threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, “the world’s most important chokepoint”, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Iranian officials complain about U.S. presence in the Gulf and both Tehran and Washington accuse each other’s navy forces of “harassment” and “provocative actions”. U.S. defence officials tallied 23 “unsafe and/or unprofessional” incidents between U.S. and Iranian naval forces in 2015. The next year, the figure rose to 35. These represented a tenth of all encounters between the two navies, which stood at 300 in 2015 and 250 in the first half of 2016. The most significant incident in this period occurred in January 2016, when two U.S. riverine command boats entered Iranian waters around Farsi Island. The IRGC navy detained ten U.S. sailors; several exchanges between then-Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart, Javad Zarif, facilitated the sailors’ release the following morning. In a subsequent investigation, the U.S. navy maintained “that Iran violated international law by impeding the boat’s innocent passage transit and they violated our sovereign immunity by boarding, searching and seizing the boats and by photographing and video recording the crew”. U.S.-Iranian frictions and escalatory risks grew following the Trump administration’s May 2018 decision to leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and reimpose sanctions, even as the numbers of unsafe interactions fell. When the U.S. revoked sanctions exemptions allowing Iran’s remaining customers to import its oil and Tehran began responding with nuclear and regional escalation. The Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, in particular, was a flashpoint where even a minor skirmish could easily spark an unintended conflict. On 20 June 2019, Iranian forces shot down a U.S. Global Hawk drone that Tehran claimed, contra Washington’s denials, had entered Iranian airspace over the Strait of Hormuz. The incident came close to prompting retaliatory U.S. airstrikes on the Iranian mainland. Less than a month later, on 18 July, the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship, downed an Iranian drone in the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump described this action as “defensive”, saying the drone had come within 1,000 yards of the U.S. vessel, reportedly failing to respond to repeated warnings. Tehran denied the loss of any aircraft. These events, occurring against the backdrop of string of incidents involving damage to and harassment and seizure of oil tankers in and around the Gulf, prompted the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) to announce on 19 July that it would launch Operation Sentinel to “increase surveillance of and security in key waterways”. Since late February 2020, other stakeholders in Gulf security, including European states, have also deployed vessels to the Gulf to monitor and de-escalate tensions. One such deployment is the European-led Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASoH) mission. From April 2020 there were no reported instances of unsafe U.S.-Iran naval interactions through April 2021, when two incidents occurred in the space of a few weeks; the second prompted warning fire from U.S. vessels, as did a subsequent interaction in May. Iran has also been accused of dispatching weapons to Huthi rebels in Yemen, a third dimension of naval intrigue on top of U.S.-Iran interactions and threats to commercial shipping. In 2015, for example, the Saudi-led coalition announced the capture of a munition-laden Iranian fishing boat off the coast of Oman. In February 2016, HMAS Darwin, an Australian frigate, intercepted a boat loaded with nearly 2,000 AK-47s, dozens of rocket-propelled grenades and various other weapons. U.S. officials believed the shipment to be Iranian in origin and bound for Yemen. In March 2016, FS Provence, a French destroyer, intercepted a boat in the northern Indian Ocean containing “several hundred AK-47 assault rifles, machine guns, and anti-tank weapons”, again believed to be bound for Yemen. The USS Sirocco and USS Gravely made a similar seizure on 28 March 2016, dubbed by U.S. officials “the latest in a string of illicit weapons shipments assessed by the U.S. to have originated in Iran”. In February 2017, U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis reportedly considered intercepting and boarding an Iranian ship to search for contraband weapons, but ultimately decided against it. In September 2017, U.S. Vice Admiral Kevin Donegan noted that there had been no naval interdictions of Iranian arms bound for Yemen for over a year, but that in his judgement Iranian military support for the Huthis was ongoing. Not every maritime interaction between Iran and the U.S. has been adversarial. In October 2017, for example, naval officials from Iran and the U.S. reportedly liaised to facilitate the rescue of Iranian fishermen by the USS Howard. Loading Video IRGC detained and later released 10 US Navy troops after their armed boats strayed into Iranian territorial waters. 13 January 2016 FARS NEWS AGENCY IV. Analysis Little Room for Maneuver: The Strait of Hormuz, one of the narrowest chokepoints in the world is crowded with both civilian and military vessels. The dense traffic increases the risk of accidents. At the same time, the existing communications infrastructure in the Gulf is insufficient to limit prospects of miscalculation or escalation. In fact, save for routine messages between ships in proximity, the U.S. and Iranian militaries do not talk to one another. These tactical, ad hoc communications between Iranian and U.S. vessels (“bridge-to-bridge communications”) leave officers of limited authority in charge of preventing unintended confrontations and containing them if and when they occur. CENTCOM Commander Kenneth McKenzie has assessed that “the activities we usually see from the IRGC navy [in the Gulf] are not necessarily activities directed by the Supreme Leader from the Iranian state, rather irresponsible actions by local commanders on scene”. A Consequential Clash: Unlike most other U.S.-Iran flashpoints across the Middle East, which involve their respective local allies, the prospect of a naval incident in the Persian Gulf could bring Tehran and Washington into direct confrontation. Even if contained, it could have broader consequences. Regardless of who provokes a clash, Iran is unlikely to go too far in tangling with the U.S. navy with its superior capabilities. But since in the eyes of Iran’s supreme leader not responding to perceived U.S. aggression only would invite more of it, Iran might choose indirect retaliation against U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria, which are in close proximity of militias backed by Iran. Asymmetry as Doctrine: Iran’s navy is no match for its U.S. counterpart. To compensate for their relative technical shortcomings, Iran’s naval forces emphasise smaller, more nimble craft and missiles – a technique that an expert has qualified as “a form of guerrilla warfare at sea”. Both Iran and the U.S. agree that this Iranian asymmetric naval capability is and will remain at the forefront of Iran’s defensive strategy. IRGC Navy maneuver in Persian Gulf, 8 October 2017 TASNIM V. Scenarios and Recommendations An Uneasy Accommodation: While Iran’s foreign minister has taken to social media to question “what the U.S. Navy [is] doing 7,500 miles from home”, a U.S. naval presence in international waters in support of its regional allies and to secure energy flows will not be ending any time soon. Given the nature of the narrow waterway – with shipping lanes in either direction only two miles wide – and rising tensions, incidents are almost unavoidable. Washington and Tehran would therefore both benefit from negotiating an Incidents At Sea agreement. A U.S.-Iran Hotline: Establishing a U.S.-Iran de-escalation mechanism would be an insurance policy against the accidental eruption of conflict due to miscommunication or misperception. It would also serve a useful force protection role without requiring political concessions or a shift in strategic posture. Such a mechanism would allow the two sides to take action to avoid missteps that would broaden the conflict into a war neither appears to want. Intermediaries, such as Oman, can play an important role in setting up a communications mechanism of this sort, initially focused on the Gulf region. Over time, if it proves its worth, it could be upgraded to become a direct channel and be replicated in other flashpoints.