LOC23:44
20:44 GMT
WASHINGTON, Aug 30 (KUNA) -- The US recent encounters with Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corp boats in Gulf waters are provocative and unsafe, said the top commander of US forces in the Middle East on Tuesday.
"This is principally the regime leadership trying to exert their influence and authority in the region," said General Joeseph Votel to reporters. "It is provocative, in some cases; it's unsafe. And it can lead to situations where we may not be able to de-escalate in a time before something happens."
He added, "About 90 percent of these unsafe, unprofessional activities we see come from the Iranian Quds Force navy vessels. They don't come from the general Iranian navy."
Last week an Iranian vessel came within about 190 meters of a US ship in which warning flares and radio signals were sent to caution the Iranian crew.
"In my view, this is not about the Iranian people. It's about the Iranian regime and their desire to continue to do these types of things that stoke instability or attempt to stoke instability in the region," Votel affirmed. (end)
ak.hb