Crossed within 10 yards of Maui’s bow! The IRGC speedboat could have been cut in two. These actions, lasting about an hour, for some reason did not result in the U.S. Navy firing warning shots. Or sinking just one of the Iranian boats. This happened today, and below is the full story. “IRGCN Vessels Conduct Unsafe, Unprofessional Interaction with U.S. Naval Forces in Arabian Gulf,” NAVCENT Public Affairs, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command U.S. 5th Fleet, Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, April 15, 2020. “On April 15, eleven Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy (IRGCN) vessels repeatedly conducted dangerous and harassing approaches of the USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3), USS Paul Hamilton (DDG 60), USS Firebolt (PC 10), USS Sirocco (PC 6), USCGC Wrangell (WPB 1332) and USCGC Maui (WPB 1304) while the U.S. vessels were conducting joint integration operations with U.S. Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopters in the international waters of the North Arabian Gulf. The IRGCN vessels repeatedly crossed the bows and sterns of the U.S. vessels at extremely close range and high speeds, including multiple crossings of the Puller with a 50 yard closest point of approach (CPA) and within 10 yards of Maui’s bow. The U.S. crews issued multiple warnings via bridge-to-bridge radio, five short blasts from the ships’ horns and long range acoustic noise maker devices, but received no response from the IRGCN. After approximately one hour, the IRGCN vessels responded to the bridge-to-bridge radio queries, then maneuvered away from the U.S. ships and opened distance between them. The IRGCN’s dangerous and provocative actions increased the risk of miscalculation and collision, were not in accordance with the internationally recognized Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS) “rules of the road” or internationally recognized maritime customs, and were not in accordance with the obligation under international law to act with due regard for the safety of other vessels in the area. The U.S. Navy, Coast Guard, Marines and Army have been conducting joint interoperability operations in the North Arabian Gulf since late March. U.S. naval forces continue to remain vigilant and are trained to act in a professional manner, while our commanding officers retain the inherent right to act in self-defense.”
Well, well, well. The harassment by Iran today in the Persian Gulf was coordinated with harassment by Russia in the Mediterranean. The headline of the Politico story gets it wrong, claiming these are separate. “Russians, Iranians hassle U.S. military in separate incidents,” Lara Seligman, Politico, April 15, 2020.
94 died Tuesday, announced Wednesday. “Iran’s coronavirus death toll rises to 4777: health official,” Reuters, April 15, 2020.
“Exclusive: Iran Pushing Ukraine Not To Take Action For Downed Plane,” Anna Raskaya, Radio Farda, April 14, 2020. Iran is pushing Ukraine to sign a MOU obliging Ukraine and the families of victims of flight 752 to waive their right to pursue criminal and civil lawsuits. Instead, they would accept “human error” as the cause of the crash. In return, Iran would pay compensation and release the plane’s flight recorder’s contents after they are analyzed (but by Iran).
“IMF’s assessment of Iran funding request is ‘taking time’: official,” Davide Barbuscia, Reuters, April 15, 2020. It is not surprising that the IMF, with no contact or work with Iran since 1979, should take extra days to review Iran’s request—also because Iran has a long history of not being responsible/accountable for monies.
“IMF Says Iran’s GDP Will Decline By Six Percent In 2020,” Radio Farda, April 14, 2020.
Zeinab Soleimani wrote on Instagram about her father, “You told me you’d be happy if we were martyred together.” This is a classic statement of psychotic suicide terrorist child rearing. “Can Qasem Soleimani’s young daughter continue his path?,” Arash Azizi, Atlantic Council, April 14, 2020.
It is not surprising that in a time of cut funding from sanctions, etc. that Iran would task Hezbollah with seizing control of Lebanon’s banks. “Hezbollah steps up campaign for control of Lebanon’s financial system,” Khaled Yacoub Oweis, The National, April 15, 2020.
Of course! The U.S. created the disease! “A pro-Iranian operation has spread coronavirus disinformation across Facebook and Twitter,” Makena Kelly, The Verge, April 15, 2020.
More news from yesterday’s seizing of the SC Taipei chemical tanker, sailing in international waters. Iranian guards in speedboats and IRGC sailors aboard took the vessel into Iranian waters while it had been sailing through the Gulf of Oman. “Iran Briefly Detained Hong Kong-Flagged Tanker, Sources Say,” Reuters, April 15, 2020. The Bahrain-based International Maritime Security Construct (IMSC), a Britain-led naval coalition in the Gulf, said a Hong Kong flagged tanker was boarded “by armed men” and sailed into Iranian waters before being released. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) also reported on the incident, comprised of four IRGC speedboats.
“Iran says world learning US ‘kills people’ after WHO move,” AFP, Jordan Times, April 15, 2020.
Speaking on the Iranian state TV, an angry Rouhani asked why similar auditing is not being done regarding the IRGC, the Supreme Leader’s Office, and the Judiciary. “Iran Chief Auditor’s Report On Missing Billions Angers Rouhani,” Radio Farda, April 15, 2020.
“An advisory report by the research arm of the Iranian parliament on Tuesday has estimated that the real number of coronavirus cases in the country may be up to 10 times higher than the cases identified by the Health Ministry while the real number of deaths may be nearly 8,700.” See “Iran’s Covid-19 Cases May Be As High As 600,000: Parliament’s Research Arm,” Maryam Sinaiee, Radio Farda, April 15, 2020.
“Iranian lawmakers say nation’s death toll likely double reported figure,” John Bowden, The Hill, April 15, 2020. A report from Iran’s parliament claims that the country’s death toll from coronavirus may be twice as high as is reported due in part to undercounting and insufficient testing. The AP reported that a report authored by Iran’s parliament research center claims the official death count may be higher than 8,500, with as many as 760,000 cases of the disease in the country. If true, that would set Iran as the country with the most coronavirus infections anywhere in the world, vaulting it past the U.S. and European countries.