Iranian Navy Commander Shahram Irani announced on Thursday that Iran’s navy “forced” a US Navy submarine to surface as it entered the Persian Gulf.
The statement was made during an interview on Iran’s state television but the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet denied that the incident occurred.
According to Irani, “The American submarine was approaching while under the sea surface, but the Iranian submarine Fateh spotted it and forced it to the surface using maneuvers as it passed through the Strait of Hormuz. The US submarine had also entered Iran’s territorial waters, but corrected its course after being warned”
Irani said and added the US submarine was trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz without being detected, but ultimately failed. He also said Iran would report the incident to international organizations.
The US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, dismissed Iran’s claims, calling them “misinformation”. Commander Timothy Hawkins told Reuters that no US submarine had recently passed through the Strait of Hormuz.
Hawkins added that Iran’s claims do not contribute to regional security and stability.
The Strait of Hormuz is a vital route for global oil supplies and tensions between Iran and the U.S. have been high in the region.
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