By Al-Fassel | 2023-08-23

Contrary to its claims of seeking regional security, the Iranian regime has continued to engage in aggressive behavior with its recent attempts to seize commercial ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz and Arabian Sea.

The need to protect vessels transiting international waters from Iran compelled the United States to deploy thousands of sailors and Marines to the Middle East on August 6.

Already on July 5, the US military blocked two attempts by the Iranian navy to seize commercial tankers in international waters off Oman.

An Iranian naval vessel had approached the Marshall Islands-flagged TRF Moss in the Gulf of Oman and sought to seize it but "departed the scene when US Navy guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul arrived on station", US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) said in a news release.

The US Navy also deployed surveillance assets, including MQ-9 Reaper and P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.

Approximately three hours later, the US Navy received a distress call from the Bahamian-flagged oil tanker Richmond Voyager, which was positioned more than 32km off the coast of Muscat, transiting international waters toward the Arabian Sea.

"Another Iranian naval vessel had closed within one mile [1.6km] of Richmond Voyager while hailing the commercial tanker to stop," NAVCENT said.

The USS McFaul directed course toward Richmond Voyager at maximum speed as the merchant tanker continued its transit, it said.

Prior to the destroyer's arrival, "Iranian personnel fired multiple, long bursts from both small arms and crew-served weapons".

The oil tanker sustained no casualties or significant damage, but several rounds hit the ship's hull near crew living spaces.

The Iranian vessel fled when the McFaul arrived.

Gulf countries wary of Iran

Iranian officials, eager to gain allies following increasing international isolation, took steps earlier this year to end a diplomatic rift and reestablish relations with Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom wants enhanced maritime security in the Gulf region as part of its rapprochement with Iran, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said June 17.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, at a televised joint news conference in Tehran, said security was vital for regional countries.

Iran is also hoping to bring Saudi Arabia and other countries into a naval alliance in the Indian Ocean.

But the proposal is failing to find traction with countries in the region, as observers say the idea is based upon "lending legitimacy" to Iran's continuing campaign of fomenting instability and inflicting aggression.

In a June 2 statement announcing Iran's intention to form a naval alliance in the Gulf, Iranian navy commander Adm. Shahram Irani claimed the new military formation would protect navigation in regional waters.

He named the members of the alliance as Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan and India.

Iran's actions in the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf, through which a fifth of the world's oil passes, raise doubts about the regime's sincerity in guaranteeing security in the region.

There is little trust for Iran among its neighbors for various reasons, analysts say, including the dispute between Iran and the UAE over three islands -- Abu Musa, Greater Tunb and Lesser Tunb.

"It defies reason that Iran, the number one cause of regional instability, claims it wants to form a naval security alliance to protect the very waters it threatens," said Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) spokesman Tim Hawkins.

'Don't be duped'

Iraqi political researcher Abdul Qader al-Nayel warned the Gulf states not to be duped by Iran's lies or deceitful announcements.

These countries should take a look at Iran's regional interference and armed presence, he said. "Iran has an ... agenda aimed at occupying Arab capitals and swallowing up the region."

Gulf countries should approach the issue with intelligence and caution, he said.

"I consider the formation of an alliance a malicious act by Iran aimed at lending legitimacy to the presence of the IRGC [Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps] in the territorial waters of the Gulf states," al-Nayel said.

"Once these forces are stationed and Iran begins to mislead the international community, claiming that its forces are there to protect maritime navigation, it will proceed to establish military bases," he said.

It "will not withdraw its forces" from these bases, he cautioned, "even if the agreements within the framework cease to exist".

US forces counter Iranian harassment

Following the uptick in Iranian aggression against merchant vessels, the US military in May increased the rotation of ships and aircraft patrolling the Strait of Hormuz.

And on August 6, more than 3,000 US sailors and Marines of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in the Middle East as part of a pre-announced Department of Defense deployment.

Amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 50) and dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) entered the Red Sea after transiting from the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal.

Bataan ARG/26th MEU units bring to the region additional aviation and naval assets, as well as more US Marines and sailors, providing greater flexibility and maritime capability to the US 5th Fleet, NAVCENT said.

"We've seen repeated Iranian threats, arm seizures and attacks against commercial shippers who are exercising their navigational rights and freedoms in international waters and strategic waterways of the region," US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said May 12.

A fleet of high-speed IRGC navy [IRGCN] craft on May 3 surrounded and seized the Panama-flagged, Greek-owned Niovi as it travelled from Dubai to Fujairah in the UAE.

The vessel's seizure in the Strait of Hormuz came six days after a similar incident in Gulf waters, when helicopter-borne Iranian navy commandos abseiled onto the deck of a US-bound Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, Advantage Sweet.

On May 12, Iranian state media announced that Iran had seized a third tanker, the Panama-flagged Purity.

On June 4, US and UK vessels, supported by a patrol aircraft, responded to a distress call from a merchant vessel transiting the Strait of Hormuz, as IRGCN fast-attack boats harassed the ship, the International Crisis Group said.

Ten days later, media reports indicated that Iran had "tested a suicide drone against a practice vessel in the Gulf and fired one other missile or drone without warning ships in the area," the group said.

According to an unnamed US official, Iran was "essentially practicing hitting merchant vessels. That's the only reason why you would do that in the Gulf of Oman."

"Since 2021, Iran has harassed, attacked or seized nearly 20 internationally flagged merchant vessels, presenting a clear threat to regional maritime security and the global economy," CENTCOM said following the incident.