The agency is quoting Iranian navy chief, Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, as saying that “many types of missiles and torpedoes will be launched during the maneuver”.
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Iran’s military warned a U.S. Navy vessel and fighter jet Wednesday that they had come too close to the site of an Iranian naval drill, semiofficial Iranian news agencies reported.
Some Navy commanders had told Tasnim that the American warship and aircraft began to make “provocative” moves after approaching the war game zone, but had to go away from the area after the Iranian military forces issued a decisive warning.
On January 12, ten United States sailors were taken into custody after two USA ships unlawfully entered Iranian territorial waters on their way to Bahrain.
In line with global efforts to combat piracy, the Iranian navy has also been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 to safeguard the vessels involved in maritime trade, especially the ships and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran.
“We’re aware of the specific Iranian military exercise referred to in press reports, but we’re not aware of any resulting change in posture or adjustment of planned course or schedule by any USA forces in the region”, according to the official, who was not authorized to speak on record.
He added: “Our forces similarly announce closure areas for our training events”. “We do not consider such announcements to be ‘orders'”.
Iran conducts similar exercises annually and the US does not see this year’s as a change in Iranian behavior, Stephens added.
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Both incidents caused critics on Capitol Hill to charge that Iran has been emboldened by the recently implemented nuclear deal.
