Iran deploys warships to Oman amid Gulf tensions

Iranian warships set sail for Oman yesterday before beginning missions in waters far from the mainland.

Iran's Alborz destroyer. Photo: TimesofIsrael

"An Iranian naval flotilla left port for Oman on June 11, then will head to the northern Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden,"Tasnim news agency quotedIran's military maritime forces announced.

The ships left the port in the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas after a ceremony attended byRear AdmiralHabibollah Sayyari,Navy Commander.The flotilla includes the destroyer Alborz and the supply ship Bushehr.

In recent years, the Iranian navy has increased its presence in international waters, patrolling the Gulf of Aden since November 2008, ensuring the safety of oil tankers and commercial ships owned or leased by Iran as well as ships from other countries.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Yemen announced on June 5 that they were cutting all ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism. This is the biggest diplomatic crisis in the region in recent times.Iran has urged Qatar and its neighbors to hold talks to resolve their differences and sent five planes carrying 450 tons of food to Qatar.

The Gulf of Aden, located between the Cape of Africa and the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, has seen a number of security threats. The ongoing conflict in Yemen has led to attacks on ships in the area. Somali pirates have also taken advantage of the chaos to attack commercial vessels passing through the area, one of the world’s busiest oil shipping routes.

Map of countries in the Middle East. Graphics: Googlemaps

According to VNE