On Monday, the radical Iranian Revolutionary Guard harassed a U.S. Navy vessel for the seventh time this year. “Back overseas, an Iranian navy vessel engaged in a potentially disastrous game of chicken with a U.S. destroyer earlier this week,” announced Fox News’ Bret Baier on Wednesday’s Special Report. “It is the latest provocation that many U.S. officials worry could turn into something deadly.” Despite the uptick in Iranian aggression towards the U.S., the Big Three Networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) ignored it.
“Tensions in the Persian Gulf continue to escalate between Iran and the U.S. The latest incident came Monday when according to U.S. officials, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard fast attack naval vessel approached the USS Mahan in the Strait of Hormuz,” reported Correspondent Connor Powell.
Powell also noted that the incident again involved the Mahan, a destroyer that routinely operates in that area and routinely has to deal with Iranian fast attack boats. After the Iranian boats came within 1,000 yards of the ship, “The Mahan was forced to alter its course and sounded a danger alarm before a warning flare at the Iranian patrol ship.”
According to Powell, Iran had taken to mocking the U.S. over the incident. “Just a short while ago, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif posted a tweet to social media, acknowledging the incident, but also sarcastically asking why the U.S. Navy was so far away from home,” he reported.
As routinely as the Iranian navy plays dangerous games with U.S. vessels, the liberal networks omit it from their coverage. On numerous occasions, the Media Research Center has documented how the networks ignore Iran’s radical actions since the signing of the nuclear deal.
Their utter failure to report Iran’s aggression originates from their effort to pretend that Obama improved U.S./Iran relations. And it’s not just these kinds of incidents they try to manipulate. When Iran captured ten U.S. sailors for straying into their territorial waters, NBC’s Andrea Mitchell whined that it “could not have happened at the worst time” because it happened just hours before Obama’s last State of the Union Address.
NBC had also criticized the Trump administration for to “officially putting Iran on notice” after they defied the U.N. and illegally test-fired missiles. MRC’s Scott Whitlock also exposed how the nets censored a “Blockbuster expose on Obama’s hidden Iran deal secrets.”
The omission is a part of an effort to preserve Obama’s failed foreign policy legacy by trying to pretend that the nuclear deal was a resounding success. It’s a failed legacy that Mitchell spent three days lobbying to keep.
Transcript below:
FNC
Special Report
April 26, 2017
5:05:02 PM EasternBRET BAIER: Meantime, back overseas, an Iranian navy vessel engaged in a potentially disastrous game of chicken with a U.S. destroyer earlier this week. We brought you that story late yesterday on Special Report. It is the latest provocation that many U.S. officials worry could turn into something deadly. Correspondent Conner Powell reports from our Middle East newsroom.
[Cuts to video]
CONNER POWELL: Tensions in the Persian Gulf continue to escalate between Iran and the U.S. The latest incident came Monday, when according to U.S. officials, an Iranian Revolutionary Guard fast attack naval vessel approached the USS Mahan in the Strait of Hormuz. Pentagon officials tell Fox News, the Iranian ship came within 1,000 yards of the American destroyer. The Mahan was forced to alter its course and sounded a danger alarm before a warning flare at the Iranian patrol ship.
This is just the latest in a growing number of dangerous naval interactions between the U.S. and Iran in the last two years.
In 2016, Iran's Navy captured ten American sailors after their ship strayed into Iranian territorial waters. The Americans were ultimately released, but the incident highlighted the growing tensions, as a candidate President Trump pushed for a more muscular approach to Iran.
DONALD TRUMP: When they circle our beautiful destroyers with their little boats, and they make gestures at our people that they shouldn't be allowed to make, they will be shot out of the water.
POWELL: But so far, it appears the Trump administration is trying to avoid a major military incident with Iran. Even though it is ratcheting up its rhetoric against the Obama-backed international nuclear agreement. Trump called it quote, a terrible deal, saying that Iran was violating the spirit of it. While at the same time, his administration certified to congress Teheran was in compliance.
[Cuts back to live]
Just a short while ago, Iranian Foreign Minister Zarif posted a tweet to social media, acknowledging the incident, but also sarcastically asking why the U.S. Navy was so far away from home, Bret.
BAIER: Connor Powell, live in the Middle East newsroom. Conner, thank you.
