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US Navy rescues Iranian fishing boat from pirates
LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. military officials say the Navy has rescued an Iranian fishing boat that had been commandeered by suspected Somali pirates for more than 40 days.
The rescue comes amid escalating threats from Iran that it could block the Strait of Hormuz in response to stronger economic sanctions against Tehran over its disputed nuclear enrichment program.
U.S. officials say American forces flying off the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd responded to a distress call from the Iranian ship. A U.S. Navy team boarded the ship Thursday and detained 15 pirates who had been holding the 13-member Iranian crew hostage and were using the vessel as a "mother ship" for pirating operations in the Persian Gulf.
U.S. officials say the Iranian captain expressed his gratitude.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.
FILE - In this Nov. 12, 2011 file photo provided by the U.S. Navy, the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) transits the Straits of Hormuz. The Pentagon on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012 answered an Iranian warning to keep U.S. aircraft carriers out of the Persian Gulf by declaring that American warships will continue regularly scheduled deployments to the strategic waterway. During a graduation at Iran's main army academy, the country's leader effectively sketched out the Islamic Republic's tougher military posture. Iran's must never hesitate to display its power in a hard-edged world where the weak pay the price, he told the newly minted officers. Less than two months later, Khamenei words were echoed by commanders who warned that Iran could block oil tanker shipping lanes in the Gulf in retaliation for sanctions and described foreign forces _ including a recent visit by an U.S. aircraft carrier _ as unwelcome interlopers in the region. (AP Photo/U.S. Navy, Petty Officer 3rd Class Kenneth Abbate, File)
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