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| Five Iranian Boats Approach British Tanker in Persian Gulf | Five Iranian Boats Approach British Tanker in Persian Gulf |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Five boats believed to belong to Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps approached a British oil tanker in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday and asked it to stop in Iranian waters close by but withdrew after a British warship issued a warning, American officials said. | Five boats believed to belong to Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps approached a British oil tanker in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday and asked it to stop in Iranian waters close by but withdrew after a British warship issued a warning, American officials said. |
| Britain’s Ministry of Defense had no immediate comment. | Britain’s Ministry of Defense had no immediate comment. |
| The incident occurred almost a week after British Royal Marines boarded an Iranian tanker, Grace 1, off Gibraltar and seized it on suspicion that it was breaking sanctions by taking oil to Syria. | The incident occurred almost a week after British Royal Marines boarded an Iranian tanker, Grace 1, off Gibraltar and seized it on suspicion that it was breaking sanctions by taking oil to Syria. |
| Earlier on Wednesday, President Hassan Rouhani of Iran said Britain would face “consequences” over the seizure of the Iranian tanker. But on Thursday the country’s Revolutionary Guard denied the American assertion that it tried to stop the British tanker. | |
| Tensions between Iran and the United States and its allies have risen sharply since Washington stepped up economic sanctions against Iran and moved to bring the country’s oil exports to zero as part of a “maximum pressure” policy to make Iran halt actions that it said undermined regional security. | Tensions between Iran and the United States and its allies have risen sharply since Washington stepped up economic sanctions against Iran and moved to bring the country’s oil exports to zero as part of a “maximum pressure” policy to make Iran halt actions that it said undermined regional security. |
| Iran has responded to the sanctions by starting to breach limits put on its nuclear activities under a 2015 deal with world powers. | Iran has responded to the sanctions by starting to breach limits put on its nuclear activities under a 2015 deal with world powers. |
| Several oil tankers were attacked in waters near Iran’s southern coast in May and June, for which the United States blamed Iran. Tehran denied any involvement. | Several oil tankers were attacked in waters near Iran’s southern coast in May and June, for which the United States blamed Iran. Tehran denied any involvement. |
| Last month, Iran shot down an American drone near the Strait of Hormuz, prompting President Trump to order retaliatory airstrikes, only to call them off. | Last month, Iran shot down an American drone near the Strait of Hormuz, prompting President Trump to order retaliatory airstrikes, only to call them off. |
| The American officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Wednesday’s incident happened as British Heritage was at the northern entrance of the Strait of Hormuz. | The American officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said Wednesday’s incident happened as British Heritage was at the northern entrance of the Strait of Hormuz. |
| “The Royal Navy HMS Montrose, which was also there, pointed its guns at the boats and warned them over radio, at which point they dispersed,” one of the officials said. | “The Royal Navy HMS Montrose, which was also there, pointed its guns at the boats and warned them over radio, at which point they dispersed,” one of the officials said. |
| “It was harassment and an attempt to interfere with the passage,” the other official said. | “It was harassment and an attempt to interfere with the passage,” the other official said. |
| The United States hopes to enlist allies over the next two weeks or so in a military coalition to safeguard strategic waters off Iran and Yemen, Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Tuesday. | The United States hopes to enlist allies over the next two weeks or so in a military coalition to safeguard strategic waters off Iran and Yemen, Gen. Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said on Tuesday. |