Tue, 08 Jan 2008 03:00:45

No unusual incident has happened between the Islamic Republic Guards Corps (IRGC) and US Navy warships, an Iranian official has said.

“Yesterday at 7:40 am IRGC forces were on their routine patrol to control the vessels' traffic in the Persian Gulf waters when they observed three US Navy ships entering the Straight of Hormuz,” Fars news agency quoted an informed IRGC source as saying on Monday.

“The navy ships were questioned as part of a routine practice and the ships introduced their identity and declared their hull number and continued their path without any unusual procedures,” he emphasized.

According to the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a set of conditions are determined to secure the traffic of the foreign vessels in straights such as the Straight of Hormuz, he added.

“Such rules and conditions are implemented by the littoral states of the straights.” The IRGC source said.

Washington on Monday accused Iran of harassing the US Navy ships, a claim that was rejected by the Iranian officials.


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