Rear Admiral Mostafa Tajeddini, the Iranian navy’s deputy head of operations, told Iran’s IRINN news channel on Wednesday that an Iranian trade vessel made a mayday call after coming under attack overnight.
He added the attacking boats fled the scene after an Iranian naval flotilla was deployed to ward off the attack.
“The escorting flotilla of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, under the command of the all-Iranian destroyer Jamaran, which is carrying out a mission in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, was promptly deployed to the scene last night after receiving a request for help from an Iranian ship in the Red Sea, and engaged with the attacking boats,” Rear Admiral Tajeddini said.
Iran has stepped up its naval presence in the region to safeguard Iranian and foreign merchant vessels and oil tankers against pirates.
