Iran Crisis - May 2021

Pentagon spokesman, John Kirby, on 10 May 2021 claimed 13 IRGC boats had approached seven US vessels at high speeds, closing within 140 meters before one of the US vessels fired 30 shots in two volleys, until they moved away. He accused the IRGC of harassing the US warships and said, "It's unsafe, it's unprofessional. It's the kind of activity that can lead to somebody getting hurt, and can lead to a real miscalculation there in the region."

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) rejected the Pentagon's claims that speedboats belonging to the elite Iranian force sparked an encounter with the US vessels, warning the Americans not to endanger shipping security in the Persian Gulf through "provocative" and "unprofessional" behavior. In a statement issued on 11 May 2021, the IRGC said the US navy's account of the encounter in the strategic Hormuz Strait was "untrue" and part of an "escape-forward" strategy, calling on the American navy to refrain from "unprofessional behavior" and respect maritime regulations.