Iran, Djibouti to discus maritime security

Iran’s Navy Chief Admiral Habibollah Sayyari says during his trip to Djibouti he will seek to boost military cooperation and ensure maritime security in the Gulf of Aden.

“Iran’s presence in the region is also important concerning the UN security council resolution that authorizes other nations to enter territorial waters to deal with pirates,” the admiral said.

“The more important issue is that security in the region would be maintained by countries of the region, while it is also curtail to realize that there is a lack of proper channels in order to prosecute the pirates,” he added.

During the six-day trip, the Iranian delegation will also be visiting two hundred crewmembers that are currently stationed in the Gulf of Eden, a Press TV correspondent reported on Sunday.

The Gulf of Aden is one of the most vital waterways in the world, located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen and Somalia.

Approximately 11 percent of the world’s seaborne petroleum passes through the Gulf of Aden and over 22 thousand ships per year transit through the waterway making it a trade route in the world economy.

The Iranian Navy has been conducting anti-piracy patrols securing commercial shipping lanes since November 2008. In 2009, the International Maritime Organization awarded Iran for its efforts.

So far, Iran has successfully escorted 600 ships and oil tankers while the navel deployments have ensured a safe trip for more than 400 vessels as they foiled some 30 pirate attacks.