IRANIAN attack ships have come threateningly close to British Royal Navy vessels, forcing them to change route to avoid a disastrous collision.

The fast-attack vessels were headed on collision course with the formation, which also included US Navy ships.

The shocking incident was revealed today by a US official, who spoke under the condition of anonymity.

He said the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps had ignored calls to change their course, eventually coming within 600 yards of the British ships.

The official said attempts were made to communicate over radio, but there was no response and the interaction was “unsafe and unprofessional.”

The worrying incident, which occurred on Saturday, comes at a time of heightening tension between the US and Iran.

Last month the White House announced it was putting Iran “on notice” last month, following a controversial missile test.

Mr Trump’s administration said Barack Obama had been too easy on Iran to the detriment of US fortunes.

Security advisor Michael Flynn said: “As of today, we are officially putting Iran on notice.

“The Obama administration failed to respond adequately to Tehran’s malign actions — including weapons transfers, support for terrorism and other violations of international norms.”

Source: / express /