Iranian Navy to carry out military maneuvers in Gulf of Aden and Northern Indian Ocean

Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 26 / Trend S.Isayev, T. Jaffarov/ Iran is set to carry out military maneuvers in Gulf of Aden and Northern Indian Ocean soon, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari was quoted by the official website of the Iranian television Iribnews. Commander Sayyari also said that on November 28, Iranian Navy will receive 3 brand new submarines. He added that Iranian Navy has strategic plans for moving beyond the Mediterranean Sea, till the end of Iranian Year (a year changes in Iran on March 21). The Iranian Navy has been developing its presence in international waters since last year, regularly launching vessels in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden to protect the Iranian ships from Somali pirates operating in the area. Iran also sent two ships into the Mediterranean Sea for the first time in February, via the Suez Canal, to the annoyance of Israel and the United States. The Iranian Navy has been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008, when Somali raiders hijacked the Iranian-chartered cargo ship, MV Delight, off the coast of Yemen. According to UN Security Council resolutions, different countries can send their warships to the Gulf of Aden and coastal waters of Somalia against the pirates and even with prior notice to Somali government enter the territorial waters of that country in pursuit of Somali sea pirates. The Gulf of Aden - which links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea - is an important energy corridor, particularly because Persian Gulf oil is shipped to the West through the Suez Canal. Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at agency@trend.az