Thursday, April 23, 2015

Iranian Convoy Heading Home - UPDATE



A nine-ship Iranian convoy of seven freighters and two IRGCN warships suspected of carrying arms to the Huthis in Yemen today reversed course and now is heading northeast in the Arabian Sea in the direction of home. The convoy had dropped anchor near Yemeni border with Oman in the Arabian Sea. (AP/Fox, 23 April) 

The Pentagon officials welcomed the reversal, Fox News reported today.

The move by Iran avoids showdown with U.S. Navy in the Arabian Sea and is also a possible quid pro quo for Saudi halt in major air campaign.

File photo: Aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. The carrier arrived in the Arabian Sea on Monday. U.S. ships and jet fighters were closely monitoring the movements of the Iranian convoy. (Photo: Reuters)

UPDATE (Friday 24 April): U.S. aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and its strike group are also heading back to the Persian Gulf after the Iranian convoy reversed course on Thursday and headed home. Them moves indicate that a potential stand off between the two navies has been averted. 

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

quite wise as Iran doesn't want to again be caught exporting weapons to Shia militias. Iran prefers to subvert Arab governments while pretending to innocence,

Anonymous said...

So the attack on the helpless barge scenario didn't come to fruition?

Anonymous said...

By this action to prevent Iranian help to Houthis, chances for the nuclear agreement have further diminished........