U.S. denies Iranian Navy's report of confrontation with American vessel

The U.S. Navy denied any direct contact with Iranian forces, hours after the Tasnim News agency reported that an Iranian missile boat sent a warning signal to an American Navy ship that closed on a fishing boat in the Persian Gulf.

According to a press statement by the Iranian Navy, Iranian fishing boat Shams was travelling 45 nautical miles off the Jask port in the Hormozgan province testing its engine, when it started to sink. Upon receiving a distress signal from Shams, Iranian Navy missile boat Falahen set off to rescue the sinking boat.

In response to this, the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), in a statement, said the coastal patrol USS Tempest, operating in the Gulf of Oman on September 6, heard the distress call of an unidentified small boat about 75 nautical miles from the Tempest's position.

"At the same time the motor vessel Nordic Voyager, much closer to the boat in distress, offered help and had made visual contact with it. The Tempest offered to support the Nordic Voyager which declined the offer," the NAVCENT said.

"Following the radio traffic from a distance, USS Tempest heard the Nordic Voyager coordinate additional Iranian Navy help for the vessel in distress to tow it back to Iran. At no time was there any direct contact between the U.S. and Iranian maritime forces," the statement concluded.