Iran: “There Was No Confrontation - U.S. Fabricated Audio” Iranian Video Included
Click here for the Iranian Press’s version
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Iran aired video Thursday of its boats and U.S. naval ships in the Persian Gulf in an apparent attempt to show that there was no confrontation between the vessels.
The grainy 5-minute, 20-second video—without sound or narration—showed a man speaking into a handheld radio, with three U.S. ships floating in the distance. It appeared to be shot from a small boat bobbing at least 100 yards from the American warships.
The footage did not show any Iranian boats approaching the U.S. vessels or any provocation. But the short clip likely did not show Sunday’s entire encounter, which U.S. Navy officials described as threatening, and said lasted about 20 minutes. ( continued after the jump )
Iran’s version of the video:
It aired on Iran’s state-run English-language channel Press TV, whose signal is often blocked inside Iran.
The clip also aired on the state-run Al-Alam Arabic channel, with an announcer saying the video showed “a routine and regular measure.”
Later, another state TV channel aired four minutes of audio it said were radio communications between the Iranian boats and American ships.
“Coalition warship number 73, this is an Iranian navy patrol boat,” a man’s voice said in heavily accented English. “This is coalition warship number 73 operating in international waters,” an American voice replied.
The Pentagon has released its own video of Sunday’s incident, showing small Iranian boats swarming around U.S. warships in the Strait of Hormuz.
In the recording, a man threatens in English, “I am coming to you. … You will explode after … minutes.”
The incident, which ended without any shots fired, has heightened U.S.-Iranian tension as President Bush visits the region. Bush was in the West Bank on Thursday, and heads next to Arab Gulf nations where he is expected to discuss strategy on Iran.
Iran has denied its boats threatened the U.S. vessels, and accused Washington of fabricating its video. The Pentagon dismissed that claim and warned its ships would respond with force if threatened.
On Thursday, the Web site of the Iranian state broadcasting company quoted a top Revolutionary Guards commander as calling the Pentagon’s video “unusual and illogical.”
“This attention by the U.S. media and officials to a routine encounter means Americans are taking an unusual approach to very ordinary issue,” Gen. Ali Fadavi, the Guards’ acting naval chief, was quoted as saying.
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“The footage did not show any Iranian boats approaching the U.S. vessels or any provocation. But the short clip likely did not show Sunday’s entire encounter…”
Dah. Ya think?
January 10th, 2008 at 5:37 amBut let’s just give Iran the benefit of the doubt, huh? I mean, what have they done in the last couple years to show they mean anybody any harm?
It’s not like they’ve threatened or taken hostage any naval coalition forces in the last year … Not like they have American hostages within their country …. not like they are making and sending explosive weaponry to Iraq to kill troops and Iraqis.
Come on, even Rosie O`Donnell can figure this out. It’s Bush’s Gulf of Tonkin.
By ALL means … Give Iran every benefit of the doubt.
January 10th, 2008 at 5:56 amDont forget folks, these Iranian bastards are Masters of Deception and “Takiya”…Theyll whine all day to make you believe their innocent and the Europunks are gullable in swallowing their stuff. Forget Gulf of Tonkin, forget Iraq, forget the Anti-Bush wackos, this is 2008 and Iran is trying to rule the Middle East aggressive and provocative.
January 10th, 2008 at 7:04 amAnd if those Gimps keep on using Bush as an excuse for NOT doing nothing against Iran or always crying that the USA is not to be trusted, then shiiiit, we shouldnt trust Germany since 1933 or 1939 for lying to their world and Chamberlain for NOT starting a World War for that matter…so Liberal Umpa Lumpa’s…quit whining and get with the Program, a radical Persian or Islamist would like to have your neck on his knife so dont be so naiv and gullable.
Your spot on Uncle Sam
January 10th, 2008 at 10:34 amThat vid is a joke! Anyone that buys that version was asleep at the wheel.
@Drillanwr
You nailed it.
January 10th, 2008 at 7:19 pmIntersting how we see the perspective of one boat that rema ins stationary the whole time. yet even though it shows that patrol boat being passive and un agressive, I wonder what the other patrol boat that comes speecding towards him from the direction of the us naval ships was doing?
Also if they couldnt identify the ships ID, then how were they able to refer to the boat as Coalition 73?
January 11th, 2008 at 4:43 am