US defense official reacts to Iran’s claims about encounter with warship

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A U.S. defense official refuted media reports in Iran regarding an interaction between a U.S. warship and an Iranian helicopter. While Iranian media claimed the warship acted in an aggressive manner, the American official insisted the incident was “safe and professional.”

The USS Fitzgerald was in international waters off the Gulf of Oman when it encountered an Iranian SH-3 “Sea King” helicopter at around 10:50 a.m. Wednesday. 

Iranian state media reported that the helicopter instructed the U.S. guided-missile destroyer to change course. 

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“This interaction had no impact to USS Fitzgerald’s mission and any reports claiming otherwise are falsehoods and attempts by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to spread misinformation,” the defense official said in a statement. 

“U.S. Central Command will continue to operate safely and professionally in accordance with internationally recognized norms and customs,” the official added. 

Iran’s state-controlled media said the warship attempted to approach Iranian-controlled waters in a provocative move.

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The helicopter quickly flew over the destroyer and issued a stern warning to leave the area, the report states. In response, the U.S. destroyer reportedly threatened the Iranian helicopter, but the pilot continued the mission and issued another warning, the report states. 

Following the renewed U.S. threat, the Iranian army‘s defense system took action and announced that the helicopter was under full defense cover and the destroyer had to change its course, it said. The warship then left the area, the report said. 

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The incident came amid heightened tension between the U.S. and Iran and weeks after U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.