Fun with Truth Challenged Iran: U.S. Ship Changed Course to Close on IRGC swarm - according to Iran

Iranian disinformation U.S. ship changed course toward Iranians on Saturday: Iran commander

A commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy blasted the recent change of course by a US warship towards the IRGC vessels in the Persian Gulf, and warned of the dire repercussions of such "unprofessional" actions by Americans. (what follows in blue is a quote from Reuters here (emphasis added)):
"A US warship of the US-British fleet, which was sailing through the traffic zone of the Strait of Hormuz, derailed from the international way and changed its course towards the IRGC Navy vessels present in the region at 10:20 to 11:00 of March 4 morning and it approached our vessels from a 550m distance in an unprofessional move with simultaneous warnings," Commander of the warship of the Zolfaqar 112 combat brigade of the IRGC Navy's first zone Admiral Mehdi Hashemi said on Wednesday.

Noting that deployment of the US and British vessels in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz has endangered security of the strategic region which is deemed as the world's energy lifeline, he said, "Their unprofessional moves have provoked tension and insecurity and can have irreparable consequences."

His remarks came after a US official claimed on Monday that multiple fast-attack vessels from the Iranian Islamic Revolution Guard Corps came close to a US Navy ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Saturday, forcing it to change direction.

"The official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the IRGCN boats came within 600 yards of the USNS Invincible, a tracking ship, and stopped. The Invincible was being accompanied by three ships from British Royal Navy and forced the formation to change course," Reuters claimed in its report.

Yep, nothing spells threat to IRGC small boats like an unarmed missile tracking ship that can speed along at 11 knots.

U.S. version of incident presented by Sam La Grone of USNI News here:

A U.S. Navy surveillance ship was harassed by an Iranian fast attack craft while entering the Persian Gulf on Saturday, a defense official confirmed to USNI News on Monday.

USNS Invincible (T-AGM-24) was transiting the Strait of Hormuz in the early morning on March 4 with three other coalition ships when the ships were approached by several Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy fast attack craft, the official told USNI News.

One of the IRGCN craft maneuvered 600 yards in front of the 2,300-ton Invincible and “went dead in the water,” the official said.

The IRGCN boat became a hazard to navigation and forced the ship to steer around the boat to avoid a collision. Exacerbating the already dangerous maneuver, a commercial ship was at the same moment attempting to overtake the formation in the narrow entrance to the Persian Gulf.

Given the hazard, the Navy categorized the interaction as “unsafe and unprofessional,” the official said.

Iranian Fake Navy News: "Navy Repulses Pirate Attack on Iranian Vessel in Bab-el-Mandeb"

For several years I've had some fun with the elaborate claims made on behalf of the Iranian navy's apparently single-handed war against "Somali" pirates claims that follow a cookie-cutter format with minor variations as to the number of pirate vessels involved.

Iran Navy's Alvand, Alleged Pirate Fighter

One common thread in these reports has always been the claim that the pirates seem to concentrate on Iranian shipping - which is interesting because no other country reports any such attacks in the area since major anti-piracy programs - both naval and private security - have been in place.

In any event, here's a "story" from Iran's Tasnim News Agency "Navy Repulses Pirate Attack on Iranian Vessel in Bab-el-Mandeb":

Iran’s naval forces saved one of the country’s trade vessels from a massive pirate attack in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which links the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea.

The Navy’s 44th flotilla of warships, which patrols the Gulf of Aden waters in an overseas mission, saved the trade vessel when Somalian pirates tried to hijack it.

The pirates, equipped with modern and expensive vessels such as refueling ships, launched the attack on the Iranian trade vessel on board 11 speed boats.

The timely presence of the naval flotilla forced the pirates to flee the zone.

An interesting aspect of this version is the claim of the alleged pirates possessing "modern and expensive vessels such as refueling ships."

Hahahahahahaha.

Sure they are "Iranian Navy Reveals Plans to Build Aircraft Carrier"

More fake news from Iran's "semi-official" (read blatant propaganda machine) "news" agency, Farsnews: Iranian Navy Reveals Plans to Build Aircraft Carrier:

A senior Iranian Navy commander underlined the country's self-sufficiency to produce different types of weapons, missiles and equipment, and announced plans to construct an aircraft carrier.
"At present, the defense ministry and the Navy are both after building military equipment for naval warfare but the defense ministry is producing different types of missiles indigenously and the Navy's needs to missiles are met using this capacity," Deputy Navy Commander for Coordination Admiral Peiman Jafari Tehrani said on Monday.

"Building an aircraft carrier is also among the goals pursued by the Navy and we hope to attain this objective," he added.

Two years ago, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari had announced that the country was capable of building aircraft carriers and heavy submarines.

"As we have managed to produce warships and submarines, we also have the capability to build aircraft carriers and heavy submarines," Sayyari said in 2014.

He underlined that building aircraft carriers and heavy submarines can be started upon a relevant decision by high-ranking Iranian officials.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahah!

The photo above accompanies the Fars article, In the past such a flight deck on a ship has caused the Iranians to call that ship a "helicopter carrier" which might be literally true sorta misses the point, doesn't it?

As a friend of mind used to say about a legal brief he was supposed to be writing but hadn't gotten around to, "It's just a matter of putting pen to paper." I guess Iran can plan to build anything. Perhaps even flying aircraft carriers if it so chooses, but there's lot of distance between plans and getting to work welding metal.

I'll help, though, by offering up some secret plans to them:

A stealth fighter for tiny pilots

Another fine faux product

Perhaps they can use their famed "stealth fighter" on their planned carrier. Along with its fake drones. That would double the fun. In short, believe it when you actually see it,

They might as well announce that they have plans for the Death Star, In fact, here they are: