Trump says he's instructed Navy to 'destroy' any Iranian gunboats harassing US ships

a reply to: shapur

The Persian Gulf, specifically the Straits of Hormuz, are, outside of the 12 mile maritime boundaries, are recognized by most nations as international waters due to both the narrowness (210 miles at its widest point) of the Gulf, and the fact that a very large portion of world trade, specifically oil, flow through it.

The United States, along with vessels from a number of nations, practice, and enforce, Transit Passage Rights.

Transit passage is a concept of the Law of the Sea, which allows a vessel or aircraft the freedom of navigation or overflight solely for the purpose of continuous and expeditious transit of a strait between one part of the high seas or exclusive economic zone and another.

Iran is violating widely recognized Law of the Sea precedence by their continual harassment of shipping in the Straits and the Gulf.

originally posted by: shapur

originally posted by: RadioRobert

originally posted by: shapur
a reply to: pavil

Navigating and trading is one thing but having aircraft carriers and ships armed with missiles is another.How would the US react if Iranian armed and military ships were navigating in gulf of mexico or in Atlantic ocean near the states?

We wouldn't like it, and Iran, if it had that ability would say, "so what".

So having a bigger gun justifies bullying others!...Is that a kind of world you like to live in?

No, I want the kind of world where people abide by accepted international law. So even a puny nation like Iran could sail off the US coast and thumb their nose at the US as long as they are in international water *shrug* Iran does not have that sort of blue water capability, but both China and Russia do, and both of those countries sit out offshore and thumb their noses at us. We don't lie it, and they say, "so what" . Has nothing to do with the size of their guns. It's the law.

a reply to: seagull

I agree,and Iran has never intrupted that flow of trade,ever...But they like the other nations specially the Americans to recognize that they can not think of the gulf as a military garage to threaten Iranian national security.Lets do not forget that Iran is being under the harshest sanctions ever and they just lost one of their key commanders due to the presence of the law abiding Americans! in the region.

a reply to: shapur

You should probably read up about the Tanker Wars then. Perhaps you're too young to remember, but many of us aren't.

a reply to: RadioRobert

My friend if we refer to history and base our judgments upon that no country in the world will be as innocent as they declare to be.Do I need to remind you the history of interventions by the US,UK in internal affairs of other countries specially in Iran?...Why not just put our #s on pause for now,take a deep breath and start all over again before it is too late...And for the records,I am probably old enough to be your father.

a reply to: shapur

Iranians are on a political colonisation program all over the Middle East and carry this process on through sponsoring terror groups be it in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen etc. They have their tentacles everywhere, Iran is in serious danger of becoming a world threat as it places its military in places they should not be once it worms its way in through Hezbollah ties etc. Oil transit is in constant danger from Iranians and thank the Lord some nation is capable of keeping the military assets in the locality to keep the peace. Those nations that do use the Gulf oil (like Japan) should do much more though to police the region and take the burden off the Brits and the Yanks

a reply to: shapur

I can only call out false claims like "Iran has never interrupted that flow of trade, ever..." when I see them. What does the fact that the US and UK have dirtied their hands have anything to do with you spreading untruths? And if you're old enough to be my dad, that's even less excuse to be ignorant. So did you know, and lied anyway? Or did you have no idea, but just thought it'd be fun to prop up Iran without having an idea of what you're talking about? Neither is a great look, pa.

originally posted by: shapurthe history of interventions by the US,UK in internal affairs of other countries

Many Arab countries have fantastic relations with the English speaking world. You do realise that we freed the Arab world from a thousand years of Turkish colonisation in addition to securing their freedom to this day from Turks and Persians by training their officer corps in our military establishments while at the same time supplying them with sophisticated weaponry capable of defending themselves plus having various agreements on using military bases to secure their continued safety and independence.

a reply to: shapur

The US and other countries send warships all over the world, in international waters(which the Straits of Hormuz are), without incident. They're stationed close to and patrol close to other nations we have poor relations with, and aren't harassed to the point the IRGC does. Sailing through international waters isn't "threatening the IRGC".

Look guys I am not for or against any certain government in the world.I pretty much know that all of them are greedy bunch which their main goal is to profit more and have control over the the others ,with the exception of perhaps a few small countries...But try to see the world from an Iranian point of view for a second,they are surrounded by countries like Russia,Saudi Arabia,Israel,Turkey,US and UK forces which are constantly trying to get a piece of the action in the region and use any opportunity to weaken the government in Iran.They have proven times and again that they take advantage of any opportunity to smash Iran once and for all...Unfortunately the politics of the world is not as clean and flawless as some of you might think it is...Sure it would have been nice if everyone played a fair game and obeyed the law and knew where they stand but the world doesn't operate that way.So I think Iranians are rightfully assuming that in order to survive in the jungle you have to grow a pair and be at least as tough as the next door neighbor if not more...Look at Libya,Syria,Iraq,Afghanistan,Tunisia,etc,,what did being naive and dependent get them to?...We are living in a very special times that requires very special mesures.

a reply to: shapur

Harassment qualifies as interference.

If an oil tanker is forced by these idiots to alter course, or slow down, that ship loses money...a lot of money.

They are on extraordinarily tight schedules. Such and such a place by such and such an hour, on this date...or they may sit for weeks, if not months, before delivery, or receiving product.

This is incredible. US senator Dianne Feinstein is demanding that taxpayer dollars be sent to Iran!

goldenstatetimes.com...

Is she in bed with Iran in addition to China?