Iran dismisses US navy video as fake

Iran dismisses US navy video as fake

Neither the Iranian nor U.S. government has a great track record for honesty in these matters. However, consider the timing of U.S. charges of Iranian provocation:

* It comes soon after the release of the CIA's National Intelligence Estimate contradicting White House claims on the imminent threat of Iran's nuke program.; and

* The U.S. allegations coincide with Bush's Middle East tour, the primary purpose of which is to "rally support to contain Iranian influence in the region."

* Israeli officials are set to brief Bush "on their latest intelligence about Iran’s nuclear programme - and how it could be destroyed."

Here's a good read on the parallels between The Gulf of Tonkin and the Strait of Hormuz.

Shreeram

Tehran, Iran

AFP

09 January 2008 01:02

Iran's Revolutionary Guards accused the United States of fabricating footage claiming to show Iranian speedboats harassing US warships in the Strait of Hormuz, state television reported.

"The footage released by the US Navy are file pictures and the audio has been fabricated," state-run English language channel Press-TV quoted a source in the naval section of the Revolutionary Guards as saying.

The state-run al-Alam Arabic language international channel also ran a similar denial quoting a source from the Revolutionary Guards, Iran's elite military force.

The Pentagon released a video and audio tape on Tuesday that it said confirmed US charges that Iranian speedboats swarmed US warships in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday and radioed a threat to blow them up.

The video, which the Pentagon said was taken from the bridge of the destroyer USS Hopper, showed fast boats approaching the warships at high speeds and racing around the Hopper, the USS Port Royal and the USS Ingraham.

A man's voice is heard in an audio recording speaking in English amid a sailor's urgent warnings to stay clear of the ship.

"I am coming to you... You will explode in a few minutes," the voice is heard to say.

Iranian officials had already dismissed the US version of the incident as anti-Iran propaganda ahead of President George Bush's visit to the Middle East, saying what happened was an everyday occurrence.

The Revolutionary Guards have said that the Iranian forces merely identified the US vessels before both sides went on their way without any disturbance.

Bush landed in Iran's regional foe, Israel, on Wednesday on his first visit to the country since taking office in a bid to bolster recently revived Middle East peace talks.