USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH, Atlantic Ocean — Navy officials say there have been no indications that Iran will be resuming its harassment of U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf in the wake of President Donald Trump’s decision to pull the United States out of the international nuclear deal.

“We haven’t seen anything really change much in the last few weeks and interactions there continue to be professional and safe,” Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson told reporters during a May 14 press briefing onboard the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush.

Adm. Richardson was there to observe joint U.S. and French flight operations.

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After over 30 “unsafe or unprofessional incidents” by the Iranian Navy in 2016, such incidents continued into 2017, but mysteriously stopped in August. Iran hasn’t offered any explanation as to why.

But Richardson said the mysterious lull won’t cause any complacency on the Navy’s part when it comes to operating in and around the Gulf.

“In the terms of preparedness, that’s out business,” he said. “We are always prepared for something like that and we will remain prepared.”

About Mark D. Faram

Mark D. Faram is a former reporter for Navy Times. He was a senior writer covering personnel, cultural and historical issues. A nine-year active duty Navy veteran, Faram served from 1978 to 1987 as a Navy Diver and photographer.

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