Iran threatened to declare war on any country that attacks a ship it says contains humanitarian aid currently making its way to Yemen, accompanied by warships. The warning came amid heightened tensions after the Islamic Republic seized a cargo ship last month.
Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier-General Massoud Jazzayeri warned that any attack on “the Iranian Red Crescent aid ship will spark war in the region. And this fire may not be put out or brought under control.”
“The US and Saudi Arabia should know that Iran’s self-restraint has a limit,” he told the Arabic-language TV Alalam, according to the semi-official Fars news agency.
The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Iranian Admiral Hossein Azad as saying that the 34th naval group “is present in the Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandab strait and has been given the specific mission of protecting the humanitarian aid ship.” That naval group includes the destroyer Alborz and logistic ship Bushehr, which are on a 90-day anti-piracy assignment in the region.
The aid ship left southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Monday and its destination is Yemen’s port city of Hudaydah on the Red Sea.
According to a statement allegedly released by aid workers, the ship carries 2,500 tons of medical supplies, flour, water and other aid, as well as relief workers, doctors, journalists and peace activists.
In Washington, US Army Col. Steve Warren said the US was monitoring the cargo ship and he warned that it would not be helpful if Iran is “planning some sort of stunt.” He said using Iranian warships to accompany the ship is not necessary and Iran should just send the cargo vessel to Djibouti, where humanitarian efforts for Yemen are being coordinated.
“The Iranians have stated that this is humanitarian aid,” Warren said.
“If that is the case, then we certainly encourage the Iranians to deliver that humanitarian aid to the United Nations humanitarian aid distribution hub, which has been established in Djibouti.”
“This will allow the aid to be rapidly and efficiently distributed to those in Yemen who require it,” he added.
There some six US warships already in the region around Yemen, including in the Gulf of Aden.
State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke confirmed the United States was “certainly tracking this convoy closely.”
“We would discourage any provocative actions,” he added
The US and other Western countries have accused Iran of militarily backing the Yemeni rebels, known as Houthis. Both the rebels and the Islamic Republic deny that.
Tuesday’s announcement comes after Iran seized a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship April 28 as it traversed the Strait of Hormuz, saying it was over a court dispute. The ship later was released, but sparked renewed tension between Iran and the US over the strait, the route for about a fifth of the world’s oil.
A five-day humanitarian cease-fire between a Saudi-led coalition and Shiite rebels and their allies began on Tuesday.
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN THE IRANIAN SHIPS FACE OFF AGAINST THE U.S./SAUDI SHIPS???
THAT IS THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION. THE IRANIAN HUMANITARIAN SHIP IS EN ROUTE TO YEMEN AND IT IS ACCOMAPANIED BY IRANIAN WARSHIPS.
THE U.S. AND SAUDI ARABIA HAVE A NAVAL BLOCKAGE AROUND YEMENI WATERS AND WILL NOT ALLOW ANY SHIPS ENTRY INTO THESE WATERS.
IRAN HAS ALREADY STATED THEY WILL NOT ALLOW THEIR SHIPS TO BE INSPECTED AND IF ATTACKED WILL "IGNITE THE FLAMES OF WAR!"
THIS REMINDS ME OF HOW THE CIVIL WAR BEGAN WHEN LINCOLN WAS SENDING SUPPLIES TO FORT SUMTER TO UNION SOLDIERS AND DARED THE CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS TO STOP OR FIRE UPON THE SUPPLYING FORCES.
WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THEN AND WHEN THESE SHIPS FACE OFF IT WILL BE VERY TENSE AND ANY MISCALCULATION WILL LEAD TO A GREATER WAR IN THE REGION.
Attacking Iranian aid ship will start war in the region: Top commander
Wed May 13, 2015 1:12AM
Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri
A senior Iranian commander has stressed that attacking the Iranian aid ship heading to Yemen will “ignite the flames of war” in the region.
Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri made the remarks in an interview with Arabic-language news channel al-Alam on Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia, the United States, and their allies must keep in mind that if they want to block Iran's humanitarian aid to the regional countries, “they will start a fire which they cannot put out,” the commander added.
“I clearly announce that the self-restraint of the Islamic Republic of Iran has its limits,” Jazayeri stated.
Iran’s Nejat (Rescue) cargo ship, containing 2,500 tons of much-needed aid, including food, medical supplies and tents, left the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas for Yemen on Monday. Dubbed Rescue, Iran's ship is set to carry a group of humanitarian aid workers, medical technicians, and peace activists from the US, France, Germany, and Iran, along with a shipment of humanitarian aid, from the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas in Hormozgan province to Yemen. (IRNA photo)On April 28, Saudi Arabia forced an Iranian cargo plane carrying medical aid and foodstuff for people in Yemen to return.
The Iranian aircraft, which had earlier received permits from Omani and Yemeni aviation officials to cross into Yemen’s airspace, could not land at the Sana’a International Airport, as Saudi warplanes were violently striking the runway of the airport.
The development came less than a week after Saudi warplanes intercepted another Iranian airplane, carrying humanitarian aid to Yemen, and prevented it from entering the Yemeni airspace on April 22. Naval protection
On Tuesday, a senior Iranian commander said that Iran’s navy will protect the cargo ship on route to Yemen.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran’s 34th naval group, which is currently in the Gulf of Aden and Bab al-Mandab Strait, is responsible for supporting Iran’s humanitarian aid cargo ship,” IRNA quoted Admiral Hossein Azad as saying on Tuesday.
He added that the naval group includes the Alborz destroyer and the Bushehr logistic ship, which are both currently on a 90-day mission, “demonstrating Iran’s navel might, insure the security of international shipping lines and defend the country’s interests.” Pentagon warning
Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren told reporters on Tuesday that the cargo ships’ escort is “absolutely unnecessary.”
Earlier in the day, a US defense official said that reports pertaining to the Iranian Navy escorting the aid ship are worrying.
The United States has information that the Iranian aid ship does not contain weapons, the official added.
The Pentagon has also said the ship should change course and head to Djibouti, where the UN is supervising humanitarian deliveries.
Saudi violates ceasefire
Earlier on Tuesday, Saudi Arabia violated a ceasefire in Yemen immediately after it was in place.
Four raids were carried out by Saudi jets in the southwestern Lahij province, the eastern Hajjah province, and the northwestern Sa’ada province.
Saudi Arabia started its military aggression against Yemen on March 26 -- without a UN mandate -- in a bid to undermine the Houthi Ansarullah movement, which currently controls Sana’a and other major provinces, and to restore power to Yemen’s fugitive former President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi, who is a staunch ally of Riyadh.
According to the latest UN figures, the Saudi military campaign has so far claimed the lives of over 1,400 people and injured close to 6,000 people, roughly half of whom have been civilians.
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