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U.S. defense officials refuted Iran's media reports about the interaction between U.S. warships and Iranian helicopters. Despite Iranian media claiming the warship is acting in an active manner, U.S. officials insist that the incident is “safe and professional.”
The USS Fitzgerald was in international waters in the Gulf of Oman when it encountered the Iranian SH-3 “Sea King” helicopter at about 10:50 a.m. Wednesday.
Iranian state media reported that the helicopter instructed the U.S. to change its route.
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Thew uss Fitzgerald is located in the Gulf of Oman, near which there is an Iranian helicopter. (Reuters; Fars News)
“This interaction has no effect on the mission of the Fitzgerald, and any reports claiming otherwise are false and attempted to spread misinformation by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC),” defense officials said in a statement.
“U.S. Central Command will continue to operate safely and professionally in accordance with internationally recognized norms and customs,” the official added.
Iran's state-controlled media said the warship tried to approach Iran-controlled waters with provocative actions.
U.S. officials say
The report noted that the helicopter flew quickly over the destroyer and issued a harsh warning to leave the area. In response, U.S. destroyers threatened Iranian helicopters, but pilots continued their mission and issued warnings, the report said.
It said that after the new threat, the Iranian military's defense system took action and declared the helicopter was within full defense and that the destroyer had to change its route. The report said the warship then left the area.
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The incident happened after tensions between the United States and Iran rose several weeks after the U.S. air strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities.