IV 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 94 
Encouraging the negotiation of an ‘‘Incidents at Sea Agreement’’ between 
the United States of America and the Government of Iran. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 2, 2009 
Mr. CONYERS (for himself and Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky) submitted the fol-
lowing concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Encouraging the negotiation of an ‘‘Incidents at Sea Agree-
ment’’ between the United States of America and the 
Government of Iran. 
Whereas, on January 6, 2008, five Iranian patrol boats 
manned by members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard 
Corps interacted with three United States Navy ships in 
international waters in the Strait of Hormuz; 
Whereas Vice Admiral Kevin Cosgriff, Commander of United 
States Naval Forces Central Command, called the behav-
ior of the Iranian vessels ‘‘unnecessary, without due re-
gard for the safety of navigation, and unduly provoca-
tive’’; 
Whereas the interaction between the vessels nearly resulted 
in armed conflict between the United States and Iran; 
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•HCON 94 IH 
Whereas, on January 11, 2008, Admiral William J. Fallon, 
former commander of United States forces in the Middle 
East and South Asia, told reporters that ‘‘This kind of 
behavior, if it happens in the future, is the kind of event 
that could precipitate a mistake.’’; 
Whereas there exists little protocol or standardization in the 
communications between the United States Navy and the 
Iranian Navy and Revolutionary Guard Corps; 
Whereas the Strait of Hormuz has been characterized as a 
‘‘global strategic chokepoint’’ through which nearly two- 
fifths of the world’s oil is shipped; 
Whereas a clash in the Strait of Hormuz would have cata-
strophic consequences for the world economy, especially 
the price of oil; 
Whereas the naval buildup in the region, and differences be-
tween the United States and Iran, Hamas, and the 
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Lebanon and Hezbollah, and 
Iran’s nuclear program, all make for an environment that 
is highly charged, fragile and very susceptible to destruc-
tive developments; 
Whereas Department of Defense officials have said they want 
to prevent future naval interactions in the region from 
escalating into a confrontation due to nonexistent or inef-
fective communication; 
Whereas at the height of the Cold War, the United States 
and the Soviet Union entered into an Agreement on the 
prevention of incidents on and over the high seas (en-
tered into force with respect to the United States on May 
25, 1972; 23 UST 1063; known as the ‘‘Incidents at Sea 
Agreement’’), designed to reduce the likelihood of a mis-
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•HCON 94 IH 
understanding and miscommunication between United 
States and Soviet naval forces; 
Whereas, on January 29, 2008, Retired Admiral James 
Lyons, who previously served as commander of the Pa-
cific Fleet and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, sug-
gested in an opinion piece in the Washington Times that 
the set of rules and regulations incorporated in the Inci-
dents at Sea Agreement could be applied as modified for 
naval operations in the Persian Gulf; 
Whereas such an Incidents at Sea Agreement between the 
United States and Iran could establish necessary protocol 
to avoid confrontation between the two nations; 
Whereas such protocols could include not interfering in the 
formations of the other party, avoiding maneuvers in 
areas of heavy sea traffic, requiring surveillance ships to 
maintain a safe distance so as to avoid embarrassing or 
endangering the ships under surveillance, using accepted 
international signals when ships maneuver near one an-
other, not simulating attacks at, launching objects toward 
or illuminating the bridges of the other party’s ships, in-
forming vessels when submarines are exercising near 
them, requiring aircraft commanders to use caution and 
prudence in approaching aircraft and ships of the other 
party, and not permitting simulated attacks against air-
craft or ships, performing aerobatics over ships, or drop-
ping hazardous objects near them; 
Whereas the absence of diplomatic relations between the 
United States and Iran need not be an obstacle to direct, 
military to military talks on procedural issues involving 
the safety of naval personnel and assets; and 
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•HCON 94 IH 
Whereas entering into such an Incidents at Sea Agreement 
could help protect American lives and treasure: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that it should 
be the policy of the United States to promote the negotia-
tion of an ‘‘Incidents At Sea Agreement’’ between the 
United States of America and the Government of Iran. 
Æ 
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