Iran says it warned away US destroyer

24/7/2025 6:09

Iran on Wednesday

said it warned a U.S. Navy destroyer to change course as it

moved through waters close to Iran, but a U.S. defense official

said the interaction was safe and professional and had no impact

on its mission.



Iranian state media published images from a helicopter in

visual range of the USS Fitzgerald guided missile destroyer. A

crew member could be heard issuing what appeared to be a radio

warning to the U.S. warship to change course, saying it was

approaching Iranian territorial waters.



"U.S. destroyer 'Fitzgerald' attempted to approach waters

under Iran's monitoring, in a provocative move", Iranian state

TV said, adding that the destroyer moved out of the area upon

continued warning.



Asked about the incident, a U.S. defense official told

Reuters: "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 official, who spoke on condition of anonymity,

identified the aircraft as an Iranian SH-3 "Sea King" helicopter

and said the interaction took place entirely in international

waters.



The incident follows U.S. strikes last month on Iranian

nuclear facilities that Washington says were part of a program

geared towards developing nuclear weapons. Tehran maintains that

its nuclear programme is for purely civilian purposes.