Iran Navy foils pirate attack on oil tanker

Iranian naval forces have successfully saved an Iranian-owned oil tanker from pirates in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden.

The Iranian tanker came under attack on Wednesday morning after 32 armed people on board four speedboats and a fishing barge laid siege to the ship.

The Iranian Navy vessels patrolling the area rushed to assist the vessel upon its distress call.

Iranian Navy marines managed to foil the pirate attack on the oil tanker after engaging in a firefight, which lasted for half an hour. No injuries were reported among the crews of the Iranian vessels.

On February 3, the Iranian Navy’s 33rd fleet of warships thwarted two separate pirate attacks on Iranian oil tankers in the high seas.

The 33rd fleet, comprising of Shahid Qandi destroyer, Bandar Abbas logistic-combat warship and Tareq submarine, saved the tankers from pirate attacks in the Gulf of Aden.

The 33rd flotilla was dispatched to the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea in mid-January in a bid to protect cargo ships and oil tankers in international waters.

In recent years, Iran’s Navy has increased its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers.

In line with international efforts against piracy, the Iranian Navy has been also 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.