28 Mar 2024
Thursday 15 June 2017 - 12:46
Story Code : 264804

Iran sends its warships to the Gulf of Aden, here's why

Sputnik - On Sunday, Iran's 47th Navy flotilla, comprised of Alborz destroyer and Bushehr logistic warship, set sail on its voyage to Oman. It will further go to the north of the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. Sputnik Persian talked to Iranian political analysts, who explained why Tehran is demonstrating its naval military might.


On June 11, the naval fleet left the southern Iranian port city ofBandar Abbas forOman aftera ceremony attended byIran's Navy commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari.


The move, which comes amida crisis inthe Persian Gulf afterSaudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties withQatar forallegedly supporting "extremism," has sparked heated reaction ofthe Gulf ofAden littoral states.

Iran's news agency Tasnim News reported that the Gulf ofAden littoral states were making deliberate attempts todisrupt the presence ofIranian naval flotillas inhigh seas.
"Today, the Gulf ofAden littoral states have joined hands toprevent our naval flotillas fromdocking inthere withthe purpose ofindirectly blocking our presence inhigh seas and international waters, it quoted Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari assaying inthe ceremony marking the start ofthe 47th Navy flotillas mission.


Irans Navy, nevertheless, pays no attention tosuch hostile attempts and will keep a mighty presence ininternational waters, the commander added.
Sayyari also made it clear that Iranian flotillas pursue two main objectives intheir overseas missions: ensuring security ofshipping routes and foiling Iranophobia attempts.


The 47th flotilla is set toreplace its counterpart, number 46, made upof a Sabalan destroyer and Lavan logistic warship, which returned toIran onSunday aftercompleting a two-month mission tosecure naval routes and protect merchant vessels and oil tankers inthe Gulf ofAden.


The Gulf ofAden, which lies betweenthe Horn ofAfrica and the southern tip ofthe Arabian Peninsula, is home tomultiple security threats. The ongoing conflict inYemen betweenthe Saudi-backed government and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels has led toa number ofships inthe area coming underattack.

Meanwhile, pirates inSomalia have been taking advantage ofthe chaos tolaunch raids onmerchant vessels passing throughthe area, one ofthe busiest shipping routes foroil inthe world.

Hence, Irans Navy has increased its presence ininternational waters inrecent years, conducting patrols inthe Gulf ofAden sinceNovember 2008, safeguarding merchant containers and oil tankers owned or leased byIran or other countries.

Sputnik Persian discussed the issue withIranian political analysts, who noted that the Iranian warships pose no threat toits neighbors. They reiterated that the planned mission is aimed atrepelling attacks ofthe pirates and guaranteeing the safety ofmerchant ships.
"Iran regards it asits duty topreserve safety ofthe regional countries, especially inthe joint water basin, hence we should not interconnect these maneuvers withany external factors, and withthe Qatari crisis inparticular," Hossein Ruyvaran, Iranian political analyst, an expert onthe Middle East and the Arab world who teaches atthe University ofTehran and former director ofIran's regional state TV station inBeirut told Sputnik.


"This is a friendly visit ofIranian warships, which has been coordinated withOman beforehand. It is aimed purely atsafeguarding ofthe healthy climate ofthe merchant shipping ininternational waters, where sea pirates are especially active," he said.


"Thus Iran, alongsideother countries, is actively present inthese waters and regards it asits international duty todefend this area and safeguard it forother countries, using its military might. The mission ofthe 47th naval flotilla is byno means interconnected withany external factors and developments inthe region, including the Qatari crisis," the political analyst reiterated.


Another Iranian political analyst, member ofthe Scientific Research Center forInternational Relations inTehran, Dr. Mani Mehrabi, noted that the maneuvers ofthe Iranian warships, which pose no threat toIran's neighbors, mistakenly raise suspicions and concerns ofthe regional countries due toincreased tensions inthe region and recent terror attacks inIran.
"Iran sends its missions tothe high seas and the Gulf ofAden inparticular, ona systematic and constant basis. By demonstrating such military might, Iran is sending a peaceful message toits neighbors, who could use this military mission fortheir own benefits," the political analyst told Sputnik.


The major aims pursued byhis home country, the expert said, are tosafeguard the merchant ships and oil tankers and topractice certain tactics duringits training missions.


Any confrontation withthe vessels ofthe neighboring countries is not onthe agenda ofthe 47th Navy flotilla. However the ongoing crisis inthe region and increased tensions amidrecent terrorist attacks inIran have prompted the Arab countries tomistakenly regard any military maneuvers ofIran's Navy asa potential threat ofan attack, the expert concluded.

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