Baku, Azerbaijan, June 20
By Khalid Kazimov – Trend:
The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) has abandoned a proposal which would allow conducting naval inspections of Iranian military vessels sailing in international waters, Mehr news agency reported June 20.
During its 98th session in London, the MSC removed the proposal from its agenda following Iran’s objections, the report added.
According to the report, India had earlier prepared the proposal on naval inspections of the military vessels escorting merchant ships.
Iranian sources over the past several years have repeatedly said that the country’s navy has a constant presence in international waters to provide security for merchant vessels and tankers in a bid to confront piracy.
This is while Iranian forces have repelled several attacks on both Iranian and foreign tankers during their missions in international waters since 2008.