TEHRAN, Jan. 10 Iran released video and audio recordings depicting a much more sedate encounter between Iranian gunboats and U.S. Navy vessels than U.S. officials claim.
The recordings released Thursday provide an Iranian account of the confrontation Sunday between Iranian gunboats and three Navy vessels operating in the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf, the Alalam satellite television network reported Thursday.
The 4-minute recording features audio between an Iranian commander and a U.S. sailor.
"Coalition warship number 73 this is an Iranian patrol," the Iranian commander said.
"This is coalition warship number 73. I am operating in international waters," the Americans responded.
The Iranian tape counters a similar U.S. video showing Iranian boats engaging the U.S. ships in what the United States says was "a provocative act." The audiotape of the incident released by U.S. officials included a threat against the U.S. ships.
Copyright 2008 by UPI
