Iranian attack boats swarm U.S. warship in Persian Gulf

Iranian boats closely shadowed an American warship in the Persian Gulf on Friday, underscoring the potential for renewed maritime hostility between the United States and Iran.

Two fast attack boats under the command of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps came within 300 yards of the USS Essex during a visit by Gen. Joseph Votel, who commands U.S. forces in the Middle East. A reporter from The Washington Post observed the boats as they sped near the amphibious assault ship, now the largest U.S. ship in the Gulf.

The incident, which did not appear linked to the general’s visit, illustrates the delicate course the U.S. military must navigate as the Trump administration ratchets up pressure on Tehran and prepares to reimpose punishing sanctions.

The Iranian boats trailed the Essex, but U.S. officials said they did not undertake the same level of threatening behavior other Iranian boats have in the past.

American reports of harassment by Iran’s naval forces, sometimes resulting in U.S. ships firing warning shots, became common at the end of the Obama administration but dropped off in the months after President Donald Trump took office.

Gen. Votel, speaking to reporters who accompanied him to the Essex, said the Iranian activity Friday did not rise to the level of what naval officials consider to be “unsafe and unprofessional.” He said the American crew responded in a way that minimized the risk of escalation.

“Iran is always a concern, and so we will be vigilant as we always are, not just here in the maritime environment but really across the theater,” Gen. Votel said.

Naval officials said Iranian ships regularly conduct similar maneuvers around the Essex, often multiple times a week. According to the officials, a total of six Iranian craft — two Cougar class patrol boats, two Kuch-class patrol boats and two Peykaap-class coastal patrol boats — approached the Essex Amphibious Ready Group on Friday.

Military officials in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere in the Middle East are trying to curtail Iran’s military influence without triggering a direct confrontation. Gen. Votel has described the military’s role as indirect, as it backs the Iraqi army, a Kurdish-dominated partner force in Syria and other allies to block Iran’s regional buildup.

But the stakes of smaller encounters have increased as Mr. Trump’s top advisers elevate their goal of diminishing Iran’s ability to project military power. So far, the Trump administration has slapped tough economic measures on Iranian affiliates and pulled out of President Barack Obama’s nuclear deal. On Nov. 4, sanctions are set to be reimposed on Iran’s energy sector.