Persian Gulf incident frustrates Iran

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TEHRAN, July 17 (UPI) -- Iran condemned what it described as adventurism by the U.S. military in the Persian Gulf, saying a maritime shooting incident threatened regional stability.

An Indian fisherman died and three other sailors were injured Monday after a U.S. Navy ship fired on a fishing boat off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. The Navy said a security team aboard the refueling ship USNS Rappahannock fired on the boat after it "disregarded warnings and rapidly approached the ship."

The Los Angeles Times had reported recently that U.S. military forces were expanding their footprint in the Persian Gulf amid heightened regional tensions.

Iranian Foreign Minister spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said the incident highlights the need to avoid taking provocative steps in a volatile region.

"The Persian Gulf region is highly important for all the regional countries and any move or policy which can somehow endanger the security of this region or the security of energy supplies can threaten the interests of the regional countries," he was quoted by the semiofficial Fars News Agency as saying. "We hope that such incidents will never happen again."

U.S. officials were quick to state the incident wasn't related to Iran.

The incident is under investigation, the Navy said.