A Chinese fleet of warships has docked into the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas.
The fleet, comprising a warship and a destroyer, docked on Saturday for the first time ever.
The Chinese fleet docked into the Iranian territorial waters with the purpose of increasing interaction between the Islamic Republic and China. It was returning from a mission in the Gulf of Aden.
On March 4, 2013, the 24th fleet of Iran’s Navy, comprising Sabalan destroyer and Kharg helicopter carrier, docked at China’s port city of Zhangjiagang after sailing 13,000 kilometers in 40 days.
The Iranian Navy said in a statement on September 17 that Iran’s naval forces rescued a Chinese container ship from an attack by pirates in the Gulf of Aden.
It added that five boats, each containing five armed pirates, attacked the Chinese ship, Xin Lian Yun Gang, in an attempt to hijack the vessel, but the Iranian Navy’s 31st fleet of war vessels foiled the move.
The Chinese vessel was reportedly on its way from Singapore to the port of Jeddah in Saudi Arabia when it came under attack. It continued its voyage after being rescued from the pirates.
In April 2012, Iran’s naval forces also rescued a Chinese cargo vessel seized by Somali pirates in international waters off the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Jask and detained the hijackers.
