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Iran denies it fired rockets near US warships in key strait

<p>As if U.S. and Iranian relations weren't complicated enough, a <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-carrier-harry-s-truman-has-close-call-iranian-n487536" target="_blank">live-fire exercise Iran conducted near American troops</a> this week could be making matters worse. </p><p>U.S. officials say the Iranian Revolutionary Guards fired unguided rockets just 1,500 yards from the USS Harry S. Truman and other ships, calling the move "highly provocative." (Video via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK7WOS6BSvo" target="_blank">U.S. Navy</a>) </p><p>In a statement Wednesday, a spokesman for the U.S. Fifth Fleet said, "Firing weapons so close to passing coalition ships ... is unsafe, unprofessional and inconsistent with international maritime law."</p><p>The fleet wasn't in Iranian waters at the time, and there is no evidence the troops were targeted. </p><p>The Strait of Hormuz is an area that's no stranger to tense events like this. <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/12/30/highly-provocative-iran-rocket-launch-by-us-ship-latest-challenge-for-washington.html" target="_blank">In April, 11 unguided rockets were fired about 6 miles</a> from the USS Theodore Roosevelt. Most famously and tragically, in 1988, the USS Vincennes thought it was under attack and ended up firing on an airliner heading to Dubai, killing all 290 people onboard. (Video via <a href="http://www.wsj.com/video/strait-of-hormuz-volatile-waterway-essential-to-oil-flow/59F64BEA-8AC0-42E8-B84C-68D488D9FFB9.html" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal</a>) </p><p>Provocations like this will further concerns some members of Congress have about the landmark deal on Iran's nuclear program, especially the sanction relief part of the agreement. <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/12/30/highly-provocative-iran-rocket-launch-by-us-ship-latest-challenge-for-washington.html" target="_blank">Democratic senators sent a letter to the president</a> just last week with concern about recent Iranian missile launches.</p><p>Even with the nuclear agreement moving along, the Treasury Department is reportedly getting ready to slap new sanctions on companies and people participating in the ballistic missile program. According to <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-administration-preparing-fresh-iran-sanctions-1451507921" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal</a>, Iranian officials have warned new sanctions would be seen as a violation of the nuclear agreement.</p><p>The U.S. disagrees, saying the Treasury's right to "blacklist Iranian entities allegedly involved in missile development" is a separate activity from the nuclear deal's provisions. </p><p>So far, there's been no official comment on the latest missile launch from Iran, but <a href="http://en.farsnews.com/Default.aspx" target="_blank">state-run news agency Fars</a> said the incident was planned and all vessels in the area were warned ahead of time. </p><p><i>This video includes images from Getty Images, </i><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/navcent/23391757713/" target="_blank"><i>U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / Fifth Fleet / CC BY 2.0.</i></a><i> and </i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iran_Air_655_Strait_of_hormuz_80.jpg" target="_blank"><i>Dual Freq / CC BY SA 3.0</i></a><i>. </i></p>
<p>As if U.S. and Iranian relations weren't complicated enough, a <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/u-s-carrier-harry-s-truman-has-close-call-iranian-n487536" target="_blank">live-fire exercise Iran conducted near American troops</a> this week could be making matters worse. </p><p>U.S. officials say the Iranian Revolutionary Guards fired unguided rockets just 1,500 yards from the USS Harry S. Truman and other ships, calling the move "highly provocative." (Video via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QK7WOS6BSvo" target="_blank">U.S. Navy</a>) </p><p>In a statement Wednesday, a spokesman for the U.S. Fifth Fleet said, "Firing weapons so close to passing coalition ships ... is unsafe, unprofessional and inconsistent with international maritime law."</p><p>The fleet wasn't in Iranian waters at the time, and there is no evidence the troops were targeted. </p><p>The Strait of Hormuz is an area that's no stranger to tense events like this. <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/12/30/highly-provocative-iran-rocket-launch-by-us-ship-latest-challenge-for-washington.html" target="_blank">In April, 11 unguided rockets were fired about 6 miles</a> from the USS Theodore Roosevelt. Most famously and tragically, in 1988, the USS Vincennes thought it was under attack and ended up firing on an airliner heading to Dubai, killing all 290 people onboard. (Video via <a href="http://www.wsj.com/video/strait-of-hormuz-volatile-waterway-essential-to-oil-flow/59F64BEA-8AC0-42E8-B84C-68D488D9FFB9.html" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal</a>) </p><p>Provocations like this will further concerns some members of Congress have about the landmark deal on Iran's nuclear program, especially the sanction relief part of the agreement. <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/12/30/highly-provocative-iran-rocket-launch-by-us-ship-latest-challenge-for-washington.html" target="_blank">Democratic senators sent a letter to the president</a> just last week with concern about recent Iranian missile launches.</p><p>Even with the nuclear agreement moving along, the Treasury Department is reportedly getting ready to slap new sanctions on companies and people participating in the ballistic missile program. According to <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/obama-administration-preparing-fresh-iran-sanctions-1451507921" target="_blank">The Wall Street Journal</a>, Iranian officials have warned new sanctions would be seen as a violation of the nuclear agreement.</p><p>The U.S. disagrees, saying the Treasury's right to "blacklist Iranian entities allegedly involved in missile development" is a separate activity from the nuclear deal's provisions. </p><p>So far, there's been no official comment on the latest missile launch from Iran, but <a href="http://en.farsnews.com/Default.aspx" target="_blank">state-run news agency Fars</a> said the incident was planned and all vessels in the area were warned ahead of time. </p><p><i>This video includes images from Getty Images, </i><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/navcent/23391757713/" target="_blank"><i>U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / Fifth Fleet / CC BY 2.0.</i></a><i> and </i><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iran_Air_655_Strait_of_hormuz_80.jpg" target="_blank"><i>Dual Freq / CC BY SA 3.0</i></a><i>. </i></p>
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TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran on Thursday denied U.S. accusations of launching a provocative rocket test last week near Western warships in the Strait of Hormuz, dismissing the claim as "psychological warfare" against the Islamic Republic.

Gen. Ramezan Sharif, a Revolutionary Guard spokesman, said his forces didn't carry out any drills in the key Persian Gulf waterway.

The denial came a day after Cmdr. Kyle Raines, a U.S. Central Command spokesman, said Guard vessels fired several unguided rockets about 1,370 meters (1,500 yards) from USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier and other Western warships and commercial traffic last Saturday. The firing came after Iranians announced over maritime radio 23 minutes earlier that they'd be carrying out a live fire exercise, according to Raines.

"The Guard's Navy had no drills in the vicinity of the Strait of Hormuz and didn't fire missiles or rockets during the past week and the time claimed by the Americans," Sharif said in comments posted on the Guard's website. "Publication of such false news under the present circumstances is more of a psychological warfare."

The strategic waterway, through which nearly a third of all oil traded by sea passes, has been the scene of past confrontations between America and Iran, including a one-day naval battle in 1988.

Raines said while the rockets weren't fired in the direction of any ships, Iran's "actions were highly provocative" because firing so close to coalition ships and commercial traffic in international waters is "unsafe, unprofessional and inconsistent with international maritime law."

Sharif said the security of the strategic Persian Gulf remains among Iran's top priorities.

Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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