Iran welcomes US Navy's rescue of Iranian fishermen held by pirates

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-iran-us-navy,0,3668103.story

ALI AKBAR DAREINI

Associated Press

8:43 a.m. CST, January 7, 2012

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's government on Saturday welcomed the U.S. Navy's rescue of 13 Iranian fishermen held by pirates, calling it a positive humanitarian gesture.

U.S. officials announced Friday that the fishermen had been rescued by a U.S. Navy destroyer on Thursday, more than 40 days after their boat was commandeered by suspected Somali pirates in the northern Arabian Sea. The rescue came just days after Tehran warned the U.S. to keep the same group of warships out of the Persian Gulf in a reflection of Iran's fear that American warships could try to enforce an embargo against Iranian oil exports.

"The rescue of Iranian sailors by American forces is considered a humanitarian gesture and we welcome this behavior," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast was quoted as saying by state TV's Al-Alam Arabic channel.

[pnorman]

1. Thanks, I'm saving that!

n/t

[think]

2. This is the kind of military action I can get behind. Go Navy!