Iran fleet to deter piracy in Gulf of Aden

The Iranian Navy has sent a fifth fleet of warships to the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden to defend the country's vessels and oil tankers against continued attacks by Somali raiders, Press TV reported.

"The fifth fleet of warships is tasked with defending Iranian cargo ships and oil tankers for a period of 40 days," Commander of Iran's First Naval Zone Fariborz Qaderpanah told Fars news agency.

He added, "The first four fleets of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Navy secured the safe passage of more than 1,000 cargo ships and oil tankers from the Gulf of Aden."

The Gulf of Aden, which links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea, is the quickest route for more than 20,000 vessels going from Asia to Europe and the Americas every year.

Piracy off Somalia, one of the world's busiest shipping areas, and other coasts of Africa has increased sharply over the past year, earning the pirates millions of dollars in ransom payments and pushing up maritime insurance rates.

Dozens of international navies patrol the waters off the Somali coast, but they have not been successful in stopping pirate attacks.

The Iranian Navy has been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008, when Somali raiders hijacked the Iranian-chartered cargo ship, MV Delight, off the coast of Yemen.