Originally Posted by
jolihokistix
Do these Iranian 'herders' keep to international waters?
Not always, no.
I have found a few anchored or slow cruising in territorial waters that belong to other Gulf States several times over the weeks. Many of the main anchorages are slightly outside of territorial waters but the herders are frequently tween the anchorages and the port. There is nothing that countries can do to stop it.....if they send one of their own patrol ships or a tug out to ward it off Iran will see that as a hostile action and retaliate. So it is often easier to watch them, note them and let them herd and intimidate than to spark a potential incident by telling them to go home.
The ships are being herded into tight groups, if a country complains about the Iranians in their territorial waters, even through diplomatic channels, that could (and likely would) place those ships in danger. Retaliation would be towards the ships as easy prey that cannot hit back and none of the Gulf States will endanger those ships and crews by trying to get rid of the Iranian herders by force or diplomatically.