Iran move is meant as a message , a senior Iranian naval official says . `` We have an announcement , not a deployment , '' a U.S. defense official says . The United States has been working with the Iranians to develop and test their own missile defenses in recent years. `` Freedom of the seas does n't just apply to fish , '' U.S. defense official says .
Iran move is meant as a message , a senior Iranian naval official says . `` We have an announcement , not a deployment , '' a U.S. defense official says . In 2011 , Iran twice announced plans to send ships toward the U.S. maritime borders . `` Freedom of the seas does n't just apply to fish , '' U.S. defense official says .