Iran Welcomes U.S. Rescue of Iranians from Pirates
The U.S. navy's rescue of 13 Iranians from pirates who had hijacked their fishing vessel was a "welcome" humanitarian act, foreign ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said on Saturday.
"We consider the actions of the U.S. forces in saving the lives of the Iranian seamen to be a humanitarian and positive act and we welcome such behavior," Mehmanparast told Iran's Arabic-language broadcaster Al-Alam.
"We think all nations should display such behavior," he added.
The US military said one of its warships, the USS Kidd, rescued the Iranian fishermen from around 45 days of captivity at the hands of pirates thought to be Somalis.
The pirates were taken into custody and the Iranian fishermen were released to return home on their dhow, which was refueled and restocked with provisions supplied by the U.S. navy vessels.
The USS Kidd was one of several vessels in a group accompanying the USS John C. Stennis, an aircraft carrier Iranian military officials days ago warned to stay out of the Gulf.
Source: Agence France Presse
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