US President George W. Bush says the White House would hold Iran responsible if American ships were attacked in the Persian Gulf.

Bush insisted that Tehran had behaved provocatively during an incident in the Strait of Hormuz involving an identification check by Iranian boats.

The remarks came after the US Navy withdrew the allegation that Iran had harassed US warships in the Persian Gulf.

“If they hit our ships, we will hold Iran responsible,” said the president.

He also reiterated his past threats that ‘serious consequences’ will await Tehran if Iranian forces confront US Navy warships in the Persian Gulf.

Iran maintains the incident was an ‘ordinary’ maritime identification check which ended without hostility as shown in the footage released by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

Iranian officials said the Bush administration has blown the incident out of proportion in the midst of Bush’s Middle East visit in a bid to drum up support for his idea that Iran is a ‘threat’ to the region.