Iranian Navy offers free escort, protection for foreign vessels in Red Sea commander says
Commander of the Iranian Navy, Rear Admiral Shahram Irani has said that the Iranian Navy is ready to render free escort and protection services against piracy for foreign vessels in the Red Sea.
"During one meeting, the commander of a foreign navy approached us and expressed concerns about the safety in the [Middle Eastern] region. I told him that if you are worried, you can request to be escorted by the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Red Sea. We won't even charge for this, as it genuinely serves the international community," Irani said in an interview with Tasnim News Agency, Caliber.Az reports via Russian media.
Earlier, Iran's navy was escorting Iranian commercial vessels to the Red Sea. This action came in the wake of Iran's first direct attack on Israel, a retaliatory strike following a suspected Israeli attack on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Damascus.
Iran was preparing for potential Israeli retaliation, with Israel's war cabinet convening to plan a response.
The Red Sea has witnessed significant disruptions in shipping bound for Israel, largely due to attacks from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels. On April 13, Iran's Revolutionary Guards seized the MSC Aries, a Portuguese-flagged container ship that Tehran claims is connected to Israel.
By Naila Huseynova