‘Iran has right to patrol intl. waters’

Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari says Iran has the right to be present in international waters and patrol the high seas.

“Our presence in international waters does not hurt the interests of other countries,” IRNA quoted Sayyari as saying on Monday.

The Iranian commander described the Iranian nation as a peace-seeking one that does not seek war but will assert its rights.

“The Gulf of Aden is part of the international waters where we must be present due to the sensitivity [of its location] and its economic aspect,” Sayyari said.

He added that the Iranian Navy has so far dispatched 15 navy fleets to the open seas and has provided the safety of 1,300 merchant ships and oil tankers.

In line with international anti-piracy efforts, the Iranian Navy has been conducting patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 in order to safeguard merchant vessels and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran or other countries.

The Gulf of Aden, which links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea, is a strategic energy corridor, particularly because Persian Gulf oil is shipped to the West via the Suez Canal.