Tehran, Iran, Nov. 22
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:
Iranian Parliament (Majlis) Speaker Ali Larijani held a meeting with the President of Djibouti Ismaïl Omar Guelleh on November 22.
During the meeting, Larijani stressed on the need to boost the two countries' cooperation in fighting pirates, Iran's IRNA news agency reported.
He further called on for expansion of economic ties between the two states.
Larijani also invited the president of Djibouti to visit Iran in the future.
In February, Iran's Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said the naval forces of the Islamic Republic had repulsed over 150 pirate attacks in the past four years.
In recent years, the Iranian Navy has been increasing its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers.
In line with international efforts to combat piracy, the Iranian Navy has been also conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 to safeguard the vessels involved in maritime trade, especially the ships and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran.