Arabian Sea

Pirates strike again; More #Iran sailors rescued by US

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1 of 3. An Iranian mariner greets a U.S. Coast Guardsman from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Monomoy which offered assistance to six Iranian mariners in the Arabian Gulf in this January 10, 2012 handout. Credit: REUTERS/U.S. Coast Guard Photo/Handou

TEHRAN | Tue Jan 10, 2012 3:34pm EST

(Reuters) – Pirates in the Gulf of Aden have hijacked an Iranian ship carrying 30,000 tonnes oftones petrochemical products to a North African country, Iran’s semi-official Mehr news agency reported on Tuesday.

Somali sea gangs have seized vessels and crews across the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, extracting millions of dollars in ransoms.

Mehr did not say where the information on the latest reported attack came from.

Separately on Tuesday, the Pentagon said American forces had rescued six Iranian mariners who said their ship was taking in water off the coast off Iraq.

2 of 3. The Iran-flagged boat Ya-Hussayn taken from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Monomoy in the Arabian Gulf, January 10, 2012. Credit: REUTERS/U.S. Coast Guard Photo/Handout

The announcement came less than a week after U.S. naval forces rescued 13 Iranian fishermen who were taken hostage by pirates in the Arabian Sea for more than a month.

The rescue operations have taken place at a moment of heightened tension between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program, which the West suspects is aimed at building an atomic bomb. Tehran denies the charge, saying its nuclear activities are only for peaceful purposes.

3 of 3. A United States Coast Guardsman from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Monomoy wakes an Iranian mariner to give him food in the Arabian Gulf in this January 10, 2012 handout. Credit: REUTERS/U.S. Coast Guard Photo/Handout

Tehran and Washington do not have formal diplomatic relations. The U.S. State Department last week said there had been no official communication with Iran about the first rescue, which it described as a “humanitarian gesture”.

Iran announced plans on Friday to hold new naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz next month, the latest in a series of forceful gestures in the world’s most important oil shipping lane.

via Pirates hijack Iranian ship in Gulf of Aden: report | Reuters.

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US Navy rescues #Iran hostages, arrests pirates

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The US Navy has rescued 13 Iranian fishermen being held by pirates in the Arabian Sea, the Pentagon says.

The 13 were rescued on Thursday after a distress call was received from an Iranian fishing vessel which had been boarded by pirates over a month ago. Fifteen suspected pirates were detained and are being held by the US Navy. The rescue comes days after Iranian officials warned the US to keep the carrier group involved in the operation out of the Gulf.

The Iranians had been kept in harsh conditions and are thought to have been forced to assist the pirates in their operations, according to the Pentagon. The hostages “had been through a lot”, said Navy Criminal Investigative Service agent Josh Schminky. “We went out of our way to treat the fishing crew with kindness and respect,” he said.


The aircraft carrier USS John C. StennisThe captain of the Al Molai, a fishing dhow, “expressed his sincere gratitude that we came to assist them. He was afraid that without our help, they could have been there for months,” he added.

The rescue was carried out by forces assigned to the John C. Stennis aircraft carrier group, which recently left the Gulf to assist US military operations in Afghanistan.

Earlier this week Iranian officials had warned the carrier not to the return to the region.

Tension between Iran and the US has risen recently because of Western concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme.

BBC News – US Navy rescues Iranians held hostage by pirates.

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