Iranian Ships Will Continue to Sail in Pirate Waters
Despite recent attacks on vessels at sea by Somali pirates, Iran has stated that its ships will not avoid these routes, according to the Tehran Times. Iran currently exports approximately 2.4 million barrels of crude oil per day, 25% of which is sent to Europe via pirate-infested waters. An Iranian-operated Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship carrying wheat is the latest vessel reported hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden, according to both U.S. and Chinese officials. While a spokesman from the National Iranian Tanker Company says this does cause Iran some worry, he has also said that they will continue to use these routes. “We have been very careful when traveling in this region, but now we have to be even more careful.”
Kayla Cahoon
