By Merve Aydogan
HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - US Central Command (CENTCOM) warned Friday that it "will not tolerate unsafe" actions by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as Iran announced it would conduct live-fire naval exercises next week in the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM urged IRGC to "conduct the announced naval exercise in a manner that is safe, professional and avoids unnecessary risk to freedom of navigation for international maritime traffic."
Noting that "CENTCOM will ensure the safety of U.S. personnel, ships, and aircraft operating in the Middle East," it stressed that the US "will not tolerate unsafe IRGC actions including overflight of U.S. military vessels engaged in flight operations, low-altitude or armed overflight of U.S. military assets when intentions are unclear, highspeed boat approaches on a collision course with U.S. military vessels, or weapons trained at U.S. forces."
The announcement comes as tensions have escalated between Tehran and Washington in recent weeks, following US President Donald Trump's remarks that a "massive armada" of American ships was moving toward Iran, alongside his demand that Tehran "come to the table" for negotiations.