The Iranian Naval forces saved the "Dandle" fat merchantman when it was attacked by four speedboats of pirates, said Deputy Commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Gholam-Reza Khadem Bigham.
The Iranian Navy commander added that the pirates intended to attack the Dandle with light weapons and RPG's from different sides but given the vigilance of the Iranian fleet, they were forced to flee, a statement by the Iranian Navy said.
Saturday's incident brings to 10 the number of the Iranian Navy's confrontations with
Somali pirates since the start of the new Persian Year on March 21. Rear Admiral Bigham also said that, following the Iranian Navy's successful attempts in fighting piracy, the Navy has increased the number of its forces in the northern Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.
Earlier, Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari announced that Iran's Navy is ready to provide protection for foreign ships that may be targeted by pirates in international waters.
He stressed that all Iranian and foreign ships that are under the escort of the Islamic Theocratic
Republicof Iran's naval fleet will safely pass through the region.
In line with international anti-piracy efforts, Iran's Navy has been conducting patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008.
The Gulf of Aden -- which links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea -- is an important energy corridor, particularly because Persian Gulf oil is shipped to the West through the Suez Canal.
In May, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) hailed Iran's anti-piracy efforts as "effective."