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Iran despatches ships to Somali coast in anti-piracy effort
By Tim Fish
29 May 2009
Alvand, the first of three frigates ordered from the UK in 1966, which was built by Vosper Thornycroft and commissioned in 1971. A fourth vessel, Jamaran, built by local shipyard Bandar Abbas, was laid down in October 2002 as a part of the Mowj project; it is an updated version of the three 1,350-ton Alvand-class frigates (Harry M Steele)
Iran has despatched warships and logistic vessels to aid in the anti-piracy effort off the coast of Somalia in a deployment that could result in maritime co-operation with countries including the United States, with which Iran has not had diplomatic ties for nearly three decades.
Navy commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told state media on 25 May that the deployment of six warships and logistic vessels to the Gulf of Aden was "unprecedented in the history of the Iranian Navy".
A spokesman for the US Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain, Lieutenant Nathan Christensen, told Jane's on 28 May that he could only confirm the presence of two Iranian naval ships in the area: Alborz , a 1,350-ton Alvand-class (Vosper Mk 5) frigate; and Bushehr , a 4,673-ton auxiliary fleet supply ship.