Iran Shahed Offloading Cargo in Djibouti

The Iranian cargo ship Iran Shahed carrying humanitarian aid for Yemen docked in Djibouti on Friday. A spokesman for World Food Program (WFP) said in Djibouti that the ship’s cargo will be offloaded and transferred to WFP-chartered vessels for shipment to Yemeni ports of Hodaydah and Aden. WFP partner organizations on the ground in Yemen will distribute the aid.

The arrangement with the UN agency ends an eleven-day saga for Iran Shahed. At first Iran had said the ship would be escorted by the Iranian warships and will head directly to the port of Hodaydah in Yemen, which is controlled by the Huthis. The move would have been a major challenge to the Saudi-led coalition blockade of the port. Senior Iranian military officers said at the time that Iran would not allow any inspection of the vessel. The deputy chief of Iranian armed forces went as far as declaring that attacking the ship will start a region-wide war.

On Monday, IRIN 34th deployed naval group, IRINS Alborz (72), a frigate, and Bandar Abbas (421), a replenishment ship, linked up with Iran Shahed and began escorting it toward Yemeni territorial waters. On Wednesday, Iran reversed course and said the ship will be docked in Djibouti instead for inspection by UN personnel, presumably heading to Hodaydah after inspection to deliver the aid. The ship was expected to be greeted by a huge pro-Huthi crowd at the port. On Friday the vessel docked in Djibouti. And now the vessel's cargo is being offloaded in Djibouti and being transferred to WFP-chartered vessels for shipment to Yemeni ports of Hodaydah and Aden. The aid will then be distributed by WFP partner organizations inside Yemen.

It was not clear if the people onboard, the medical staff, journalists, international activists, and the unusually large number of crew seen in the published photos, presumably to help distribute the aid in Yemen, would still go there or end their journey in Djibouti and fly back home.

Photo credit: Iran Shahed (Twitter)

Iran Vessel Heading to Djibouti for Inspection

Iranian news agency Tasnim reported today that Iran’s cargo ship, Iran Shahed, has changed course and is heading to the UN inspection facility in Djibouti. Tasnim’s report was filed on Wednesday afternoon by one of its reporter who is on board Iran Shahed.

UPDATED: Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian confirmed the report that Iran Shahed is now heading to Djibouti for UN inspection, ISNA reported.

Photo: vesseltracker.com

Ships of a potential ‘Gulf of Aden incident’

File photos of vessels identified in a potential incident involving Iran Shahed, the Iranian vessel said transporting humanitarian relief supplies and workers from Bandar Abbas, Iran to Hodeidah, Yemen.

UNITED STATES NAVY

USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) Wasp class amphibious assault ship

Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group

ROYAL SAUDI NAVY

RSN Al Riyadh class (F3000S Sawari II) light multipurpose frigate (FF)

RSN Al Madinah class guided missile frigates (FF)

EGYPTIAN NAVY

ENS Alexandria (F911) Oliver Hazard Perry class guided-missile frigate (FFG)

(plus another unidentified Oliver Hazard Perry class guided-missile frigate)

ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN NAVY

IRINS Alborz (72) Alvand (Vosper Mark V) class frigate (FFG)

Islamic Republic of Iran Navy 34th Fleet

IRINS Bushehr (422) Bandar Abbas class replenishment ship (AORLH)

Islamic Republic of Iran Navy 34th Fleet

IRAN SHAHED 'RESCUE SHIP'

Iran Shahed (IMO 9184691) cargo ship

Iran Shahed, flying Yemeni flags and displaying Red Crescent banners [photo: Saed Karimi]

NOT SHOWN:
USS Fort McHenry (LSD- 43) Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship / Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group

USS New York (LPD-21) San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock / Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group

Iran Says Aid Delivery Coordinated with UN

Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said today that the delivery of aid to Yemen and docking of the Iranian cargo ship, Iran Shahed, at a Yemeni port have now been coordinated with the UN, Iranian official news agency IRNA reported. Iran had previously said its navy needed to escort the aid vessel. Coordination with the UN would eliminate such need and Iran would avoid challenging Saudi-led blockade of Yemeni ports and the risk of a naval confrontation.

UPDATE: The Pentagon said on Thursday that Iran is not providing naval escort to Iran Shahed at this time.

Photo: Iran Shahed carrying humanitarian aid to Yemen (IRNA)

Iran Says its Navy Will Protect Aid Ship Heading to Yemen

Iran Warns to 'Start War' if Its Vessel is Attacked

U.S. Warns Tehran against ‘Stunt’

An Iranian vessel, Iran Shahed, has moved through the Strait of Hormuz and is heading toward Yemen to deliver humanitarian aid, Iranian news agencies announced on Tuesday. The ship also carries relief workers and peace activists from different countries.

The UN has set up a delivery hub in Djibouti for distribution of humanitarian aid to Yemen. Iran said the aid vessel will be protected by its navy. It was not clear why warships should escort a civilian vessel carrying humanitarian aid, unless Iran planned to send the ship directly to a Yemeni port, instead of Djibouti, to challenge the Saudi-led naval blockade of Yemen.  

Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency quoted the deputy chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, Brigadier General Massoud Jazayeri, as warning today that Iran “would launch war on any state that dares to attack the Iranian ship that is on its way to Yemen with a humanitarian cargo.” (Fars News Agency, 12 May)

“Attacking the Iranian Red Crescent aid ship will spark war in the region,” Jazayeri added.

The U.S. said today the Iranian ship carrying aid to Yemen should change course and head to Djibouti where the United Nations is overseeing humanitarian deliveries to Yemen. The U.S. Navy is tracking the ship after Iran said it would send warships to escort the vessel to Yemen, said Pentagon spokesman Col. Steven Warren.

“The Iranians have stated that this is humanitarian aid,” Warren said. “If that is the case, then we certainly encourage the Iranians to deliver that humanitarian aid to the United Nations humanitarian aid distribution hub, which has been established in Djibouti.” (AFP, 12 May)

“We call on the Iranians to do the right thing here and deliver their humanitarian aid in accordance with UN protocols which is through the distribution hub,” Warren said.

“If the Iranians are planning some sort of stunt in the region, they know as well as we do that it would be unhelpful and in fact could potentially threaten the ceasefire that has been so painstakingly brought about,” Warren said.

UPDATE: IRIN Rear Adm. Hossein Azad told reporters that Iran's "34th Fleet" is in international waters off Yemen and has the "responsibility to protect the Iranian humanitarian aid ship."  In April, Iran deployed Vosper MK5-class frigate Alborz (72) and its replenishment vessel Bandar Abbas (421) to the Gulf of Aden. Adm. Azad's reference to the 34th Fleet was to this deployed naval group.

File photo: Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL) Iran Shahed. The vessel is heading toward Yemen. (FNA)