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Iran warns against attacking aid ship to Yemen

Xinhua, May 13, 2015 Adjust font size:

A senior Iranian commander on Wednesday warned against any attempt to target Iran's aid ship to Yemen, saying that attacking the ship will start a war in the region, Press TV reported.

Saudi Arabia, the United States, and their allies should refrain from blocking Iran's humanitarian aid to Yemen, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Iran's Armed Forces Brigadier General Masoud Jazayeri was quoted as saying by Press TV.

"I clearly announce that the self-restraint of the Islamic Republic of Iran has its limits," Jazayeri said, adding that attacking Iran's aid ship to Yemen will "ignite the flames of war" in the region which Saudi Arabia and its allies cannot stop.

On Monday, an Iranian aid ship, called Rescue Ship and containing 2,500 tons of food supplies and medicine, left the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas for Yemen.

The ship is bound to the Yemeni port of Hodeidah through the Sea of Oman, Indian Ocean, Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, Press TV said.

On board the ship, there are 15 medical staff, 13 media representatives, seven anti-war activists from the United States, France and Germany plus the crew members, according to the report.

Iran said it had made coordination with the International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Authority of Saudi Arabia, Oman and Djibouti.

Iran had already warned that it would not allow a Saudi-led coalition to intercept the ship.

Last month, fighter jets of the Saudi-led coalition intercepted an Iranian plane over the Yemeni sky and destroyed the runway of Sanaa airport to prevent it from landing. Iran said the plane was carrying humanitarian aid to Yemen.

Saudi Arabia has long been accusing Iran of arming and financing Houthi fighters, an accusation strongly rejected by Tehran.

The captain of the aid ship, Masoud Qazi Mirsaeed, said that the ship will arrive at its destination on May 20 provided that the weather condition is good, Tasnim news agency reported. Endit