Iran sending two warships to Oman for overseas mission

Iran is sending two warships to Oman before they start their mission in international waters near the coast of Yemen, the country’s navy has said, Al-Jazeera reported.

The Tasnim news agency reported that the two ships, an Alborz destroyer and a Bushehr logistics warship, will depart from the port city of Bandar Abbas on Sunday for an overseas mission to Oman and then on to international waters, aAl-Jazeera dded.

“An Iranian naval flotilla will depart to Oman on Sunday and then will go to the north of the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden,” the agency quoted the navy as saying, Al-Jazeera indicated.

The Gulf of Aden, which lies between the Horn of Africa and the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is a strategic shipping lane which connects the Indian ocean with the Red Sea and Suez Canal, Al-Jazeera explained.

The move comes amid a crisis in the Gulf after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut off ties with Qatar for allegedly supporting “extremism”. Qatar has vehemently denied the charges, Al-Jazeera added.