US warship fires warning flare during tense encounter with Iranian vessel

A boat of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy operates in close proximity to patrol coastal ship USS Sirocco (US Navy via AP)

A US Navy warship has fired a warning flare after an Iranian Revolutionary Guard speedboat drove straight towards it during a tense encounter in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The incident on Monday involving the Guard and the US Navy comes as tensions remain high over stalled negotiations over Iran’s tattered nuclear deal with world powers and as Tehran enriches uranium closer than ever to weapons-grade levels under decreasing international oversight.