Iranian Navy Rescues Tanker From Pirates

The Iranian Navy warship Sabalan recently defended a tanker from a pirate attack at the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, Iran’s defense authorities announced Wednesday.

Pirates in six boats approached an unnamed Iranian tanker. Her master issued a mayday call and the Sabalan responded quickly. The Sabalan’s crew opened fire on the pirates, who fled.

The Sabalan and combat support ship Tonb have been in the region since December 1 on an anti-piracy mission. Iran has conducted patrols in the area since 2008, when it first dispatched naval vessels to address mounting problems with pirates. Its forces have deterred pirate attacks on the vessels of 20 nations, said Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, including a dramatic episode in June with two separate attacks within hours involving nearly a dozen pirate boats.

Pirate attacks in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and other areas off the Horn of Africa have declined in recent years as an international military presence and the carriage of armed guards reduced the pirates’ success rate.

But the Strait, a strategic pinch point for world shipping, is also the scene of heavy fighting on the Yemeni side, where Houthi rebels and allied military units have been fighting with Saudi-led pro-government forces. Analysts suggest that Iranian naval units were deployed there for anti-piracy operations but also for national security reasons, including a show of support for the Houthis.

The Sabalan, formerly the Rostam, was heavily damaged by American forces in 1988 in retaliation for the mine incident that crippled the USS Samuel B. Roberts.