‘Unsafe, unprofessional’: Pentagon says Iranian vessels harass Navy ship, as Tehran tests anti-missile system

Swift-moving Iranian vessels came dangerously close to a US Navy surveillance ship in the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend, US officials said Monday.

The apparent harassment of the USS Invincible on two occasions, on Thursday and Saturday, came amid Iranian state media reports that Iran had tested its newly-acquired S-300 missile air defence system that is designed to intercept incoming missiles.

In addition, Fox News reported that Iran had itself test-fired a pair of ballistic missiles that destroyed a floating barge over the weekend, but that could not be independently confirmed.

Iran fired a medium-range ballistic missile last month, apparent violating a UN Security Council Resolution. The administration responded with its first economic sanctions, when it placed 13 people and 12 businesses on a list that prohibits Americans from dealing with them.

The February test led US President Donald Trump to tweet, “Iran is playing with fire - they don’t appreciate how ‘kind’ President Obama was to them. Not me!”

Taken as a whole, the incidents form a pattern suggesting Tehran and Washington could be squaring off for a more direct confrontation. Trump came to office condemning the Obama administration for being what he characterised as weak on Iran, and he has vowed to be tougher. Iran seems to be testing whether Trump means what he says.