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Iran Warships Enter Suez Canal on Syria Trip, Israel Stresses Objections
22 Feb 2011 at 15:38hrs | Views
Two Iranian warships have begun crossing the Suez Canal as Israel stressed its objection to their planned voyage to Syria.
The ships entered the canal early today after the approval of Egypt's Defense Ministry, the state-run Middle East News Agency cited Ahmed El Manakhly, head of traffic at the Suez Canal Authority, as saying. The crossing usually takes 10 to 12 hours, El Manakhly said.
The 120-mile (190-kilometer) waterway carries about 2.5 percent of world oil output, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc., and is a key route for ships carrying Asian consumer goods to Europe. Crude reached its highest level in a week in New York on Feb. 18 as tensions between Iran and Israel over the planned voyage helped to heighten concerns over regional instability. Oil jumped to the highest in more than two years in New York today as Libyan unrest stoked further concern over supplies.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor today said that Israel would consider the presence of the warships sailing through the canal to the Mediterranean Sea "a provocation" that should be "dealt with by the international community." Palmor said he was citing previous comments by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
Frigate, Supply ShipThe vessels, the 1,500-ton patrol frigate Alvand and 33,000-ton supply vessel Khark, are the first Iranian warships to use the waterway since the 1979 Islamic revolution that toppled Iran's pro-Western monarchy, according to Press TV. Alvand is armed with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles, while Khark has a 250-member crew and can carry three helicopters, the Iranian state-run broadcaster said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Feb. 20 that Israel views with "gravity" Iran's plan to send the vessels through the waterway, a move that he said highlights the need to increase his country's defense budget. Lieberman said on Feb. 16 that Israel wouldn't "ignore forever" such acts.
The ships will go to Syria, where they will anchor "for a few days" after a trip through the canal that is "routine according to international law," Iran's state-run Islamic Republic News Agency said cited the country's ambassador to Syria, Ahmad Mousavi, as saying.
Egypt said on Feb. 18 that it had approved Iran's request to send the ships through the canal. According to international law, Egypt can't forbid any vessel from using the waterway unless that country is at war with Egypt, El Manakhly told Bloomberg Television Feb. 16.
Iran rejects international sanctions against its nuclear program and has accused the U.S. and Israel of stoking dissent in the Islamic state. Unrest in Iran has been revived in the past week under the influence of Arab revolts.
Israel and the U.S. suspect that Iran's nuclear program is aimed at producing weapons. Iran says its atomic installations are for generating power. The United Nations has imposed four rounds of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.
The ships entered the canal early today after the approval of Egypt's Defense Ministry, the state-run Middle East News Agency cited Ahmed El Manakhly, head of traffic at the Suez Canal Authority, as saying. The crossing usually takes 10 to 12 hours, El Manakhly said.
The 120-mile (190-kilometer) waterway carries about 2.5 percent of world oil output, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc., and is a key route for ships carrying Asian consumer goods to Europe. Crude reached its highest level in a week in New York on Feb. 18 as tensions between Iran and Israel over the planned voyage helped to heighten concerns over regional instability. Oil jumped to the highest in more than two years in New York today as Libyan unrest stoked further concern over supplies.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor today said that Israel would consider the presence of the warships sailing through the canal to the Mediterranean Sea "a provocation" that should be "dealt with by the international community." Palmor said he was citing previous comments by Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
Frigate, Supply ShipThe vessels, the 1,500-ton patrol frigate Alvand and 33,000-ton supply vessel Khark, are the first Iranian warships to use the waterway since the 1979 Islamic revolution that toppled Iran's pro-Western monarchy, according to Press TV. Alvand is armed with torpedoes and anti-ship missiles, while Khark has a 250-member crew and can carry three helicopters, the Iranian state-run broadcaster said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Feb. 20 that Israel views with "gravity" Iran's plan to send the vessels through the waterway, a move that he said highlights the need to increase his country's defense budget. Lieberman said on Feb. 16 that Israel wouldn't "ignore forever" such acts.
The ships will go to Syria, where they will anchor "for a few days" after a trip through the canal that is "routine according to international law," Iran's state-run Islamic Republic News Agency said cited the country's ambassador to Syria, Ahmad Mousavi, as saying.
Egypt said on Feb. 18 that it had approved Iran's request to send the ships through the canal. According to international law, Egypt can't forbid any vessel from using the waterway unless that country is at war with Egypt, El Manakhly told Bloomberg Television Feb. 16.
Iran rejects international sanctions against its nuclear program and has accused the U.S. and Israel of stoking dissent in the Islamic state. Unrest in Iran has been revived in the past week under the influence of Arab revolts.
Israel and the U.S. suspect that Iran's nuclear program is aimed at producing weapons. Iran says its atomic installations are for generating power. The United Nations has imposed four rounds of sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.
Source - Byo24News
