Friday 6 January 2012

The best of enemies: U.S. Navy comes to rescue of 13 Iranians held captive by Somalia pirates

Last updated at 5:34 PM on 6th January 2012
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The U.S. Navy has rescued 13 Iranian seaman being held captive by pirates in the Gulf of Oman.
In a move that should relieve tensions between the nations – temporarily at least – the Americans successfully responded to a distress call from a merchant ship.
A Navy helicopter from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis tracked the Somalian pirates to an Iranian-flagged dhow that had earlier been hijacked.
A U.S. Navy sailor assigned to the USS Kidd aircraft carrier approaches the Iranian-flagged dhow where the 13 Iranian seaman were rescued yesterday
A U.S. Navy sailor assigned to the USS Kidd aircraft carrier approaches the Iranian-flagged dhow where the 13 Iranian seaman were rescued yesterday
Help at hand: The USS Kidd sits close by the dhow after capturing 15 armed Somalian pirates in the Arabian Sea
Help at hand: The USS Kidd sits close by the dhow after capturing 15 armed Somalian pirates in the Arabian Sea
There, the team found 15 armed pirates who did not put up a fight holding the 13 Iranians hostage. Reports differ as to how long the crew had been held.
The Somalians were taken into custody and the merchant seamen set free.
The rescue occurred about 175 miles south-east of Muscat, Oman.
 
The news will have been well received in Tehran and the whole world will be hoping the rescue will enable the countries to step back from a march towards conflict that has recently appeared inevitable.
Two days ago, Iran threatened never to allow the USS John C. Stennis back to the Gulf and has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-sixth of the world's oil passes.
That is in response to the economic sanctions imposed by the EU and the U.S.
Aerial protection: A U.S. Navy SH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter which is part of the U.S. counter-piracy unit in the Gulf
Aerial protection: A U.S. Navy SH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter which is part of the U.S. counter-piracy unit in the Gulf
New financial sanctions signed into law by U.S. President Barack Obama on New Year's Eve make it difficult for most countries to buy Iranian oil. The European Union is expected to announce tough measures of its own at the end of the month.
U.S. officials have said the Navy's Fifth Fleet, based in nearby Bahrain, is prepared to defend the shipping route.
Britain's defence secretary Philip Hammond warned Iran yesterday that any attempt to block the key global oil passageway the Strait of Hormuz would be illegal and unsuccessful — hinting at a robust international response.
Before the rescue, Iran announced it would be holding new naval exercises in the Strait next month.    
Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi, naval commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps, said the exercises would be different from previous ones, but gave no further details.
'Today the Islamic Republic of Iran has full domination over the region and controls all movements within it,' he said.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2083227/US-Navy-comes-rescue-13-Iranians-held-captive-Somalia-pirates.html#ixzz1ii8JNoRM

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