Iran's navy offers to escort Gaza ships
Official: Elite Revolutionary Guards are prepared to intervene
updated 6:15 a.m. MT, Sun., June 6, 2010
TEHRAN - Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards are ready to provide a
military escort to cargo ships trying to break Israel's blockade of
Gaza, a representative of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on
Sunday.
"Iran's Revolutionary Guards naval forces are fully prepared to escort
the peace and freedom convoys to Gaza with all their powers and
capabilities," Ali Shirazi, Khamenei's representative inside the
Revolutionary Guards, was quoted as saying by the semi-official Mehr
news agency.
Any intervention by the Iranian military would be considered highly
provocative by Israel which accuses Iran of supplying weapons to Hamas,
the Islamist movement which rules Gaza.
The Guards, with their own navy, air force and command structure
separate from the regular armed forces, are seen as fiercely loyal to
the values of the Islamic Republic.
"If the Supreme Leader issues an order for this then the Revolutionary
Guard naval forces will do their best to secure the ships," Shirazi
said. "It is Iran's duty to defend the innocent people of Gaza."
Last Monday Israeli troops killed nine activists on board one ship in
a convoy trying to deliver aid to Gaza, sparking international outrage,
especially in Muslim countries.
Another ship was boarded on Saturday and pro-Palestinian activists have
promised more as they challenge the blockade imposed four years ago with
the stated aim of stopping arms getting to Hamas.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will continue to stop
ships reaching the shore and creating "an Iranian port in Gaza," a
reference to Iran's support for Hamas.
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