The Iranian Navy has thwarted seven pirate boat attacks on an Iranian merchant vessel sailing in the Red Sea.
Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said that the naval forces of the Islamic Republic April 16 rushed to rescue the ship when pirates on board seven boats were trying to hijack it, forcing the pirates to flee, Tasnim news agency reported April 18.
Iranian navy vessels escort the country’s merchant vessels and oil tankers in the high seas, he added.
According to Sayyari, Iran’s navy has increased presence in international waters in a bid to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers, over the past years.
Since November 2008, the Iranian Navy has also been conducting patrols in the Gulf of Aden in line with international efforts against piracy to safeguard merchant containers and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran or other countries.
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