TEHRAN (Tasnim) � Iranian Navy commandos on Thursday thwarted an attack by pirates against one of the country's trade vessels in two successive encounters in the Gulf of Aden.

Servicemen on board the Iranian Navy's 34th fleet of warships rushed to help the Iranian ship when pirates tried to hijack it with 5 boats.

The assailant turned back three hours later with 11 boats, but the rapid reaction of the Iranian commandos left them with no choice but to flee.

The 34th fleet, comprising Bushehr logistic warship and Alborz combat warship, left Iran for the high seas on April 8 in a mission to protect the Iranian cargo ships and oil tankers in the international waters.

The naval fleet is on its way back home after sailing through the Sea of Oman, northern parts of the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

During its mission, the 34th fleet had five direct encounters with pirates.

In recent years, the Navy has saved some 2,700 Iranian ships from pirate attacks in the high seas.

By Tasnim News Agency