TEHRAN - The Iranian naval forces on Monday morning managed to thwart a pirate attack on one of the Iranian oil tankers en route to the Gulf of Aden before entering Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Four boats carrying between 4 to 6 pirates sought to launch an attack on the Iranian tanker, the Navy said in a statement.

However, they were forced to escape after timely response by the Navy’s escort teams, which shot warning shots to repel the pirates, the statement added, according to Press TV.

Last month, an Iranian warship successfully foiled a pirate attack on an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Aden following a heavy exchange of fire.

“The 78th naval fleet of the Islamic Republic of Iran, consisting of the Alborz destroyer, was attacked by five pirate boats this morning while escorting two Iranian tankers,” Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said in an interview at the time, describing the incident as “maritime terrorism”.

In line with international efforts against piracy, the Iranian Navy has been conducting patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008, safeguarding merchant containers and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran or other countries.

The Iranian Navy has managed to foil several attacks on both Iranian and foreign tankers during its missions in international waters.