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UK warns ships over Iranian attempts to divert vessels into own waters

The incidents are thought to be connected to a large-scale military exercise being carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Christopher McKeon
Friday 24 January 2025 06:13 EST
The two-month-long exercise comes amid ongoing tensions with Israel (Iranian Army via AP)
The two-month-long exercise comes amid ongoing tensions with Israel (Iranian Army via AP) (AP)

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The UK has warned sailors in the Persian Gulf over apparent attempts by Iranā€™s military to order ships to enter Iranian waters.

In a notice published on Friday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations centre (UKMTO) said there had been ā€œseveral incidents involving VHF radio challenges to vesselsā€, some of which included ā€œdemands to alter courseā€.

The UKMTO said it believed the incidents were related to a large-scale military exercise being carried out by Iranā€™s Islamic Republican Guard Corps (IRGC), called Great Prophet XVIII.

The two-month-long exercise comes amid ongoing tensions with Israel that have seen the two nations exchange fire in the past year.

The UKMTO added: ā€œThese exercises have warned mariners that vessels whether in or near to Iranian territorial waters may experience VHF hailing.ā€

On Friday morning, the UKMTO also reported a ā€œsuspicious approachā€ made by a military vessel towards a ship in the Persian Gulf.

The approach involved the vessel ā€œflashing a green laser light towards the bridgeā€ of the ship and hailing it with orders to turn towards Iranian waters.

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