U.S. Navy encounters Iranian warships and aircraft regularly

Iranian defense minister claims the U.S. is still the 'Great Satan'

Iranian warships and aircraft approach U.S Naval Forces "on a nearly daily basis," according to a Pentagon official familiar with operations around the Strait of Hormuz.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - The exchanges between Iranian warships and aircraft and the U.S Navy are constantly photographed by the Iranians for intelligence purposes, the unnamed Pentagon official claimed. He also cited that the exchanges between the two parties are "conducted in a safe and professional manner."

Video footage of the interactions was recently released by the Iranian military in an attempt to show a reconnaissance mission over a U.S. aircraft carrier stationed in the Strait of Hormuz.

The clip, which was recorded at the end of August, was set to dramatic music and shows U.S personnel and warplanes stationed on a ship.

Iran's state-control media reported from Persia and said the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps "drones have carried out such missions many times; although the drone remains for a long time above the [American crew's] heads, they didn't notice it."

The report continued, saying, "In some cases [the American crew] did notice the IRGC drone awhile after filming and tried to drive it off by sending a helicopter or fighter jet after it."

The Pentagon official said, "The Iranians primary purpose for approaching the U.S forces is for ISR [Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance] so these interactions are almost always characterized by the presence of Iranian photographers capturing photos and video[s]."

The Iranians are not the only ones who film the routine encounters. The official said, "During these interactions we, too, capture imagery for the record. Safe, professional, and routine interactions are of no concern, and we are fully confident in the ability of U.S. Naval forces to defend themselves. We also publicly acknowledge those interactions with the Iranians which we consider to be unsafe."

Iranian officials continue to threaten the United States and Israel.

Iran's defense minister Hossein Dehghan said, "I officially declare that under no circumstances will we refrain from providing material and moral support to Hezbollah, or to any group of the resistance to the U.S. and Israel."

Iran still considers "the U.S. to be the 'Great Satan' even after the nuclear deal," Dehghan reported.

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