An Iranian Navy commander says the country’s naval forces have successfully rescued an Iranian merchant vessel from a pirate attack in the Red Sea.
“Seven speed boats belonging to the pirates in the Red Sea tried to hijack an Iranian merchant vessel this morning but they fled after the 29th Fleet of the Iranian Navy and the special operations team arrived on the scene,” Deputy Commander of Iran Navy for Operations Rear Admiral Siavash Jarreh said on Saturday.
He added that the 29th fleet of the Iranian Navy, which has recently entered the Red Sea, clashed with pirates for several hours before they fled.
The commander added that the Iranian vessel was slightly damaged but continued its journey after repairs.
Jarreh stated that the Iran’s 29th Fleet will dock at an African country within the next days.
The 29th Fleet of the Iranian Navy headed to the Atlantic Ocean on January 21 in line with the country’s policy to safeguard naval routes for its vessels.
The flotilla, which comprises Kharg helicopter carrier and Sabalan destroyer, left Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas for the Navy’s first-ever mission in the Atlantic Ocean. The fleet is set to travel some 25,000 kilometers during its three-month mission to get to the Atlantic.
In recent years, Iran’s Navy has increased its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers.
In line with international efforts against piracy, the Iranian Navy has been also conducting patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 in order to safeguard merchant containers and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran or other countries.
Iran Navy has managed to foil several attacks on both Iranian and foreign tankers during its missions in international waters.
Via: http://www.presstv.ir/
