Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 17
By Fatih Karimov – Trend
Iran's navy repelled pirate attacks against an Iranian merchant ship on Oct. 17 morning, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.
A group of pirates launched three attacks on an Iranian oil tank, however, the pirates had to flee after the Iranian Navy's 44th flotilla opened heavy fire.
The incident took place in the in the Gulf of Aden, which links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea.
The Gulf of Aden is the quickest route for thousands of vessels traveling annually among Asia, Europe and the America.
The Iranian Navy's 44th flotilla comprising Alvand destroyer and Bushehr logistic warship was dispatched to international waters in mid-October to protect the country’s trade vessels against piracy in unsafe zones.
Iran's Navy has been recently increasing its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and ensure security for merchant vessels and tankers.
In line with international efforts to combat piracy, the Iranian Navy has also been 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.