The United States tries to avoid miscalculations with Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy vessels when they come in close proximity at sea, Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby told reporters.
"Broadly speaking, we obviously want to see tensions de-escalate, we don't want to see miscalculations," Kirby said on Tuesday. "Unsafe and unprofessional activity by the IRGC navy is not new. It has been a persistent problem for a long time."
Kirby said this kind of harassment is largely conducted by the IRGC navy, not the Iranian state navy, using small fast boats.
Earlier on Tuesday, the US Navy said a military vessel crew fired warning shots in the Persian Gulf after three Iranian Islamic IRGC navy vessels came within close proximity of their ships.
The incident occurred on Monday in international waters in the north Persian Gulf, according to the US Navy.
