Iran cites change in US navy behaviour in Gulf, US denies
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LONDON - An Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said on Monday that US vessels patrolling the Gulf had changed behaviour and now abided by international regulations, a week after US military officials said they had not adjusted operations in the sea area.
The US navy reiterated on Monday that it had not changed its behaviour.
In recent years, there have been periodic confrontations between the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and US military in the Gulf - a major trade route for oil - but the number of incidents has dropped in recent months.
Last week US military officials said the incidents had decreased because the Iranian military had halted routine "harassment" of US naval vessels in the Gulf.
Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander, Rear Admiral Ali Ozmaei, responded on Monday by saying that the "Americans' behaviour" had changed.
"They pay more attention to international regulations and avoid approaching Iran's territorial waters," Ozmaei was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency.
A US Fifth Fleet spokesman said in a statement last week that "the United States Navy has not adjusted its operations and will continue to operate wherever international law allows."
