Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 18
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
The Islamic Republic's warships have no plan to dock in Yemen ports, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said.
He further said that the Islamic Republic Navy has a "powerful" presence in the Gulf of Aden, expressing hope that the gulf's security will be safeguarded with help of entire countries in the region.
Iran has dispatched its 34th fleet to the Gulf of Aden in line with international efforts to combat piracy, Sayyari said, Iran's Fars news agency reported April 18.
He also rejected reports that the Saudi Arabia has warned Iran's fleet.
No warning was made against Iranian navy, he said, adding the Islamic Republic navy does not enter any country's territorial waters without permission.
"We do not tolerate any threat or warning while our ships have the right for presence in the high seas under the international laws," Sayyari underlined.
Deploying Iran's warships to the Gulf of Aden came while Saudi Arabia-led coalition has started strikes over Iran-backed Shiite Houthi rebels' positions in Yemen.
Earlier in March sources claimed that Egyptian warships had warned off Iran's 33th fleet out of the Gulf of Aden. That day Sayyari rejected the reports. The 33th fleet arrived home early in April after 77 days on the sea.
The Gulf of Aden has been growing in sensitivity since Yemen engaged in domestic crisis. Western media and Arab states claim Iran has a hand in the developments, but Tehran denies that.
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