U.S. ship rescues Iranian boat in distress

BY ROBERT BURNS

AND BRADLEY KLAPPER

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- A U.S. Coast Guard cutter rescued six Iranian mariners from a vessel in distress in the Persian Gulf, the second such incident in a week of tension punctuated by the Islamic republic's death sentence to a young Iranian-American and sharp U.S. criticism of Tehran's uranium enrichment activity.

The rescue was another reminder of U.S. efforts to demonstrate the humanitarian value of its naval presence in the Gulf, a strategic waterway that Iran has threatened to close in retaliation for international sanctions over its nuclear program.

The latest U.S. complaints came yesterday from Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. She condemned Iran yesterday for enriching uranium at an underground bunker to a level that can be upgraded more quickly than Iran's main stockpile for use in a nuclear weapon. Clinton said Tehran was breaking its international obligations and demonstrating a "blatant disregard for its responsibilities."

Iran insists its program is designed for energy and research purposes. But several other countries condemned Iran's move, which was confirmed by the UN nuclear agency on Monday.

Washington and Tehran also are at odds over an Iranian court's death sentence Monday for Amir Hekmati, 28, a former military translator who was born in Arizona. Iran says he is a CIA spy who tried to incriminate Iran in terrorist activity; the Obama administration flatly rejects the accusations.

Thursday, the U.S. Navy rescued 13 Iranian fishermen who had been held captive for more than 40 days by pirates in the northern Arabian Sea.

In the latest incident, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, based in Bahrain, said two Iranians were rescued from the dhow and four from a life raft tied to the stern. After being fed and provided blankets and water, the six men were transferred to an Iranian coast guard vessel, the Naji 7. The command quoted the dhow's owner, identified as Hakim Hamid-Awi, as telling the Americans, "Without your help, we were dead. Thank you for all that you did for us."