TEHRAN – The Navy is going to dispatch the fourth warship to the Gulf of Aden to protect Iranian ships against pirates, a top commander announced on Saturday.

So far the Army and the IRGC have sent three warships to the Gulf of Aden to protect Iranian oil tankers and trade vessels.
Iran will continue sending its fleets of warships to the area until it deems necessary, Navy Commander Habibollah Sayyari said in a ceremony arranged to welcome the second Navy fleet which returned home from the gulf.
Sayyari also said that 65 thousand ships sail across the zone annually and 40 percent of Asia’s export-bound gas has to be shipped through the area, adding any insecurity will damage the whole world’s economy.
Piracy has flourished in recent months off the busy Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean shipping lanes and seaborne gangs have seized several cargo ships and collected tens of millions of dollars in ransom for the safe release of crews and cargoes.