Iran dispatches warships to Gulf of Aden

Iran is dispatching a squadron of warships to the Gulf of Aden to protect its merchantmen against pirate attacks.

Iran has begun further deployments of its naval forces abroad, last month sending two warships through the Suez Canal to Latakia, Syria.

The commander of the Iranian navy, Commodore Habibollah Sayyari said: "This was a great honor for the Islamic Republic of Iran to be able to fly the proud Iranian banner in the waters of the Mediterranean.

"The Suez Canal is under the control of Egypt, and only those countries that are not hostile to that country can pass through that canal."

Israel expressed its concern over the transit. In a veiled reference to Israel, Sayyari added, "The enemies were truly agitated as the result of this visit and by putting pressure on Egypt and Syria they were trying to prevent it from going ahead. However, with God's grace, the enemy realized that it had no place in the world and in the regional countries and those operations proved to be the greatest defeat for them."

The Iranian navy has been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 when Tehran sent vessels to the area after Somali pirates hijacked the Iranian-chartered cargo ship MV Delight off the Yemeni coast.

The two Iranian warships will operate in the same waters as Combined Task Force 150, a naval alliance dominated by the United States and based in Djibouti, which is also conducting anti-piracy patrols.

Commander of Iran's First Naval Zone Fariborz Qaderpanah said: "The 13th fleet of warships, comprised of Tonb and Delvar vessels is tasked with boosting security for Iranian merchant containers and oil tankers in the Gulf of Aden and north of the Indian Ocean for a period of 60 days."

Qaderpanah said that over last two years, the Iranian fleet has successfully "managed to display its powerful presence in turmoil-stricken Gulf of Aden, and foil any attempt to impair transportation routes along the country's sea border," the Fars news agency reported Friday.

According to the International Maritime Bureau, the number of ships hijacked from Jan., 14, 2008, through last Friday is 174.

Under the terms of several U.N. Security Council resolutions, nations can deploy warships to the Gulf of Aden and coastal waters of Somalia to protect their merchantmen against the pirates and, after giving notice to Somali government, enter Somali territorial in "hot pursuit" of pirates.

UPI