Commander: Iran Likely to Deploy Naval Fleet to Atlantic Ocean
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iranian Navy's 30th fleet of warships will likely be deployed to the Atlantic Ocean after it finishes a first mission to the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, Navy commander announced.
“The Iranian Navy’s 30th fleet of warships has started its mission 8 days ago, and it will sail for the Atlantic Ocean if no new mission is assigned to it,” Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told the Tasnim News Agency.
According to the commander, the recently-deployed fleet has left Iran for the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, and is scheduled to berth in south India.
After its stop in India, the 30th naval fleet will be heading for south of Africa and the Atlantic Ocean, Sayyari explained.
The 30th fleet of warships, comprised of Alvand destroyer and Busher logistic warship, is tasked with ensuring safe passage for the Islamic Republic’s trade vessels and oil tankers.
The new decision comes after a change in the plans for deployment of another naval fleet to the Atlantic waters. The 29th fleet of the Iranian Navy left Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas on January 21 for the Atlantic Ocean, but the mission was changed due to bad weather conditions.
On April 20, the 29th fleet docked at the Omani capital and port city of Muscat after 90 days of sailing in high seas.
Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Navy for Operations Admiral Siavash Jareh announced earlier that the fleet has sailed around the Gulf of Aden, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea before berthing at Muscat.
In recent years, Iran’s naval forces have increased their presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and oil tankers.
In line with international efforts to combat piracy, the Iranian Navy has also been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 to safeguard the vessels involved in maritime trade, especially the ships and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran.
