uncletonoose
16th February 2011, 11:49 AM
Israel Getting Nervous
Jerusalem (CNN) -- Two Iranian warships are expected to pass through the Suez Canal Wednesday night on their way to Syria, a move that Israel considers a "provocation," Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said.
The passage is "something which has not happened in many years," Liberman said.
"This is a provocation that proves that the self-confidence and insolence of the Iranians is growing from day to day," he said. "This happens after the Iranian president's visit to south Lebanon and his aggressive declarations there towards Israel."
Iranian navy officials have said the flotilla has embarked on a yearlong training mission that takes it to the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea, the semi-official Fars News Agency said.
During the mission, Iranian navy cadets are due to be trained and prepared for defending the country's cargo ships and oil tankers.
Iranian navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said cadets would be trained to protect ships and tankers now under threat of attack from Somali pirates, Fars said.
Part of the mission was also to gather intelligence, Fars said.
And, Sayyari said, the ships were in the region in "pursuit of a powerful (military) presence in the high seas and to consolidate our friendly ties and declare our message of peace and friendship to the regional countries."
Liberman urged Israel's allies to pay attention.
"We expect the international community to act speedily with determination against the Iranian provocations, designed to deteriorate the situation in the area, and put the Iranians in their place," he said.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/02/16/israel.iran.warships/index.html
Jerusalem (CNN) -- Two Iranian warships are expected to pass through the Suez Canal Wednesday night on their way to Syria, a move that Israel considers a "provocation," Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said.
The passage is "something which has not happened in many years," Liberman said.
"This is a provocation that proves that the self-confidence and insolence of the Iranians is growing from day to day," he said. "This happens after the Iranian president's visit to south Lebanon and his aggressive declarations there towards Israel."
Iranian navy officials have said the flotilla has embarked on a yearlong training mission that takes it to the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean Sea, the semi-official Fars News Agency said.
During the mission, Iranian navy cadets are due to be trained and prepared for defending the country's cargo ships and oil tankers.
Iranian navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said cadets would be trained to protect ships and tankers now under threat of attack from Somali pirates, Fars said.
Part of the mission was also to gather intelligence, Fars said.
And, Sayyari said, the ships were in the region in "pursuit of a powerful (military) presence in the high seas and to consolidate our friendly ties and declare our message of peace and friendship to the regional countries."
Liberman urged Israel's allies to pay attention.
"We expect the international community to act speedily with determination against the Iranian provocations, designed to deteriorate the situation in the area, and put the Iranians in their place," he said.
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/02/16/israel.iran.warships/index.html