Iran - Maritime Incident in the Strait of Hormuz

Important news added on 30th April 2015 !



إيران تختطف سفينة أميركية وتقودها إلى ميناء "بندر عباس"ـ

Iran holds up U.S. ship and guides it to Bandar Abbas seaport.



احتجزت قوة إيرانية سفينة شحن أميركية، على متنها 24 بحارا من شرق أوروبا وآسيا، واقتادتها إلى ميناء بندر عباس الإيراني، اليوم الثلاثاء.ـ

On Tuesday [i.e. 28th April], Iranian forces held up a U.S. cargo ship with 24 sailors from Eastern Europe and Asia on board and guided it to the Iranian seaport of Bandar Abbas.

ومن جانبه، أكد متحدث باسم وزارة الدفاع الأميركية "البنتاغون" أن قوات ايرانية اعتلت السفينة "مايرسك تيغريس"، التابعة لشركة مايرسك، والتي ترفع علم جزر المارشال في الخليج.ـ

On behalf of the U.S. defence ministry "Pentagon" a spokesman confirmed that Iranian forces seized the ship "Maersk Tigris" which belongs to the company Maersk and is registered in the Marshall Islands.

[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on 28th April 2015]



Name: MAERSK TIGRIS
Type: Container Ship
Gross Tonnage: 52600 t
Deadweight: 62292 t
Build: 2014
Flag: MARSHALL ISLANDS
Anchored in Bandar Abbas
since 28th April 2015, 19:35.

Editor's Note:
According to other sources, the MV Maersk Tigris has been stopped by Iranian forces belonging to the Revolutionary Guards without any obvious reason known so far. The Marshall Islands where the ship has been registered is connected with the United States by some association treaty that leaves all military defense of the island nation to the U.S.. That's why the nearby cruising destroyer USS Farragut has been ordered by the Pentagon to observe the situation.


Washington Examiner on 28th April 2015 (local date!):
Iran's seizure of the Maersk Tigris is the second time in a week it has harassed transiting vessels under U.S. protection in the Strait of Hormuz.
A senior defense official at the Pentagon said that on Friday, the Maersk Kensington, a U.S.-flagged cargo vessel, was intercepted by four Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy patrol craft.
"In the incident, the [Iranian] patrol craft at one point encircled the Maersk Kensington, and eventually followed the ship as it continued on its course. The [Iranian] units eventually withdrew from the area," the official said.
Iran's harassment of ships in the Strait follows its attempt last week to send a convoy of vessels to Yemen, which was eventually turned away after the arrival of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.


Fars News Agency FNA, Tehran on Wednesday 29th April 2015:
After informed sources told FNA last night that "the ship ... has been seized by Iranian naval forces at the request of Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization IPMO", IPMO deputy chief Hadi Haqshenas explained in his today remarks that Maersk Tigris has been engaged in payment disputes with the Iranian "Pars Tala'eyeh Oil Products Company" for several years.
He said the Iranian company had "started litigation in recent years to sue Maersk Line Shipping Co.", adding that "after the court of appeal upheld the initial court ruling in favor of the Iranian company, ordering Maersk Line Shipping Co. to make up for the financial losses of the plaintiff, the decree was sent to Iran's Ports and Maritime Organization - which is in charge of maritime affairs according to international laws and regulations - on March 15, 2015 to be put into effect".
"The IPMO then requested the operational forces to put the court ruling in action," Haqshenas continued.
Haqshenas's statements were later today repeated in an official statement of the IPMO, where the organization underscored that the seizure was "purely the result of a legal case and not a military development in nature".
The statement also added that all the moves made with regard to the vessel, including the court proceedings and ruling, "fully comply with the international laws and maritime rules and regulations".
"Given the legal nature of the case and considering that the responsibility for the seized vessel falls under the judicial authority now, its release will only be possible through a judicial decree," it stressed.
The IPMO statement also reiterated that Maersk Co. has been fully briefed about the detailed measures adopted with regard to the vessel and the crew since its seizure in the Strait of Hormuz yesterday.
Later today, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham also made similar remarks, stressing the legal nature of the seizure.
She also underlined that the crew are "fully sound and healthy" and "have been provided with full consular access".
.....
Iranian sources had earlier stated that the crew members were from Britain, Bulgaria, Romania and Myanmar.
International law recognizes Iran that has the lengthiest coastline (more than 2,000km) on the rims of the Persian Gulf as to be in charge of security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.
In Iran, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy is responsible for protecting security of territorial waters in the Persian Gulf, while the naval forces of the regular army are in charge of security in the Caspian Sea as well as missions in the high seas.

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Yemen - U.S. Chasing Iranian Convoy

Last Update added on 27th April 2015



أميركا تؤكد سحب إيران سفنها.. والأخيرة تنفي

America confirms the withdrawal of Iranian ships ..... and last dementi.

نفى قائد البحرية الإيرانية أن تكون سفن بلاده قد غادرت المياه الدولية في خليج عدن قبالة اليمن، وأكد أن السفن لا تزال موجودة هناك بهدف تأمين السفن التجارية الإيرانية.ـ

The Iranian navy commander denied that ships of his country abandoned international waters in the Gulf of Aden facing Yemen and stressed that [=> his navy's] ships would not leave from there in order to secure the Iranian merchant ships.

وكان مسؤولون أميركيون أعلنوا أن واشنطن سحبت حاملة الطائرات "ثيودور روزفلت" والبارجة "نورماندي" من سواحل اليمن، بعدما غيرت قافلة سفن إيرانية كانت متجهة إلى اليمن مسارها وعادت أدراجها.ـ

U.S. officials made known that Washington withdrew the aircraft carrier "Theodor Roosevelt" and battleship "Normandy" from the coasts of Yemen. Things had changed after a convoy of Iranian ships, heading to Yemen, turned back on track.

القافلة كانت تضم 9 سفن إيرانية، منها اثنتان حربيتان كانت في طريقها إلى اليمن على ما يبدو، إلا أن مسؤولاً أميركياً أفاد أن السفن الإيرانية تحركت إلى الشمال الشرقي مبتعدة عن اليمن.ـ

The convoy comprised nine Iranian ships, including two warships, on their way to Yemen, until it seemed that U.S. officials noted the Iranian ships were moving to the north-east [and] away from Yemen.

[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on 25-26th April 2015.]


Editor's Note:
Both Iranian navy ships are rather small frigates and belong to the Iranian "Thondor" Type 021-class of missile-boats while the USS Theodor Roosevelt is a 100.000 ton nuclear-powered aircraft carrier known as the "Big Stick" and that is coming together with her escort, the guided missile cruiser USS Normandy. According to western media, the merchant ships of the Iranian convoy are believed to be loaded with weapons for the Houthi rebels in Yemen.



The CNN War Scenario



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Update for 27th April 2015:



جنرال إيراني يعترف بدعم بلاده عسكريا للحوثيين في اليمن

Iranian general admits his country offers military support for the Houthis in Yemen.

قال مساعد العمليات في قيادة أركان القوات المسلحة الإيرانية، الجنرال علي شادماني، إن "إيران تدعم الحوثيين بالاستشارات العسكرية والمساعدات المعنوية والإرشادات".ـ

The deputy head of the operations department for the general staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, General Ali Shadmani, said that " Iran is supporting the Houthis with military advice, with moral assistance and instructions ".

[Source: Network for Information Survey شبكة رصد الإخبارية, Kairo, on 27th April 2015]

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Iranian visitor, allegedly coming from Heshmatiyeh Prison زندان حشمتیه‎, a
detention center for political prisoners and situated in Iran's capital Tehran.

A BBC report said that Iranian opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and
Mehdi Karroubi, together with their wives, were taken from their homes by
security forces to Heshmatiyeh Prison after their call for demonstrations in
Iran in the frame of Arabic Spring developments in Tunisia / Egypt in 2011.

Arabic Alliance Addressing Yemenite People

منشورات من عاصفة الحزم تحذر اليمنيين من المد الإيراني

Circular letters, spread by the "Storm of Determination",
are warning Yemenites of Iranian [support / expansion].

The joint leadership for the operation Storm of Determination القيادة المشتركة لعملية عاصفة الحزم has spread circular letters that contain the following text:

أخي ابن اليمن: أن هدف قوات التحالف هو دعم الشعب اليمني ضد المد الفارسي.ـ

My brother and son of Yemen: That allied forces might support the Yemeni people to oppose Persian expansion.

دخول قوات التحالف جاء نتيجة لانقلاب الميليشيات الحوثية على السلطة الشرعية و على مخرجات الحوار الوطني لإعادة الأمور إلى نصابها.ـ

The intrusion of allied forces came as a result of Houthi militias toppling the legitimate authorities and "the holy oath of national dialogue" [i.e. National dialogue conference] for the reconstruction of things from their beginnings.

أخي المواطن اليمني: لا تنخدع بشعارات الجماعة الحوثية و ساند السلطة و الحكومة الشرعية.ـ

My brother and Yemeni citizen: Don't get fooled by the slogans of the Houthi community and support the legitimate authorities and [their] government.

إخواننا اليمنيين النصر قريب و المستقبل و اعد فحافظوا على وحدتكم.ـ

For our Yemenite friends help is near, and the future is promising [the defence] of your border.

أخي المواطن اليمني: أن قوات التحالف تعمل من أجل استقرار اليمن فكن عوناً لهم.ـ

My brother and Yemeni citizen: Might the alllied forces [succeed] in the aim to stabilize Yemen while bringing help to [its people].

استقرار اليمن جزء لا يتجزأ من استقرار الدول العربية

The stability of Yemen being an integral part of the stability of [all] Arabic countries.

[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on April 19, 2015]

In Memoriam Guenter Grass

Guenter Grass was a German novelist, poet, playwright, illustrator, graphic artist, sculptor and recipient of the 1999 Nobel Prize in Literature. Grass was born in the Free City of Danzig on October 16, 1927, and died on April 13, 2015, in Lübeck.

"What Must Be Said" (German: "Was gesagt werden muss") is a 2012 prose poem written by Guenter Grass, a poem discussing an alleged threat of annihilation of the Iranian people. Grass exposes his fears that Germany's delivery to Israel of a sixth Dolphin class submarine, capable of carrying nuclear warheads, might facilitate an eventual Israeli nuclear attack on Iran, and thus involve his country Germany in a foreseeable crime.

The poem was first published on 4 April 2012 by the Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany), La Repubblica (Italy) and El País (Spain), triggering four days later the declaration by Eli Yishai, the Israeli Minister for the Interior, that Grass, who had visited Israel in 1967 and 1971, was now persona non grata.

At that time, I volunteered to provide independent translations of the disputed Grass poem into the English and French language and published them in a blogspot of "blueprint news" that was titled Israel - German Submarine Delivery Raising Protest. Via an external link these translations are still available from the Wikipedia page which is dedicated to the original version written by Guenter Grass. Useless to mention that lots of people from all over the world came to read my translations. And when I noticed that Grass died the day before, I found again an impressive list of visitors to "blueprint news" and who could be identified just on the day Guenter Grass died.

What else to say about his worldwide recognition, even though there were many who blamed him for obscuring his own past during World War II when he served in the Waffen-SS while he was still a very young man with few experience of life.



" What Must Be Said ": External links from the Wikipedia site
leading to my independent translations of the Grass poem.



Visitors to "blueprint news" coming from the Wikipedia site.





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Reminding 10 years of "blueprint news"
blueprinteditor.blogspot.com

Yemen - Scenes of War

مقاتلات "عاصفة الحزم" تقصف معسكر "ماس" على الطريق بين مأرب وصنعاء

Fighter planes for the "Storm of Determination" are bombing
"Camp Ma's" on the route between Ma'rib and Sanaa.



Above: Ruins in the historic part of Ma'rib township.

شنت مقاتلات قوات "عاصفة الحزم" غارات جوية على معسكر "ماس" الموالي لجماعة الحوثيين والرئيس السابق علي عبدالله صالح في مديرية "مجزر" بمحافظة مأرب صباح اليوم الاثنين.ـ

Fighter planes belonging to the forces of [operation] "Storm of Determination" launched air raids on "Camp Ma's" and which is connected with the Houthi community and former president Ali Abdullah Saleh in Majzar District / Ma'rib Governorate this morning, Monday [i.e. April 13].

[Source: Almasdar Online المصدر أونلاين, a Yemeni daily, on April 13, 2015]




اللواءان 111 و112 في #مأرب يعلنان الولاء للشرعية

Brigade 111 and 112 in Ma'rib demonstrating their loyalty to the constitutional system.
[A complicated situation in Ma'rib as reported by Al-Arabiya TV العربية on April 12/13]




استسلام 20 مسلحا حوثيا تحصنوا بسفارة #روسيا في #عدن

Capitulation of 20 armed Houthis in Aden and who
had barricaded themselves in the Russian embassy.
[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on April 13, 2015]




فيديو.. قصف المدفعيات السعودية على ميليشيات #الحوثي

Video: Saudi artillery shelling Houthi militias.
[First pictures by Al-Arabiya / Al-Hadath TV about
border fighting between Saudi-Arabia and Yemen,
dated: April 13, 2015.]

Yemen - Pakistan Hesitates to Join Arabic Alliance

Last Update: April 12



بالتراجع عن دعم "عاصفة الحزم".. باكستان تخذل السعودية وتخدم إيران

By abandoning the support of "Storm of Determination"
Pakistan is abandoning Saudi Arabia and serving Iran.

منذ بداية عاصفة الحزم، أعلنت باكستان دعمها الكامل للملكة العربية السعودية، وسط تردد الأنباء بين الحين والآخر عن مشاركتها الفعلية بقوات عسكرية، إلا أن إسلام آباد كانت تنفي في كل مرة مشاركتها عسكريًا، وأن كانت تدعم أرض الحرمين، وأنها على أتم استعداد لبذل كافة جهودها للزود عنها.ـ

Since the beginning of the "Storm of Determination" Pakistan proclaimed its total support of Saudi Arabian [rule] and [then raised incertainty with] news that changed from one moment to the other, from [Pakistan's] practical cooperation with military force [to the position] that Islamabad should anyway refuse each time its military cooperation, and that it should support territories in misery and should prepare for [concentrating] all of its efforts on providing food for them.

[Source: Al-Dostor الدستور, an independent Egyptian daily, on April 11, 2015]

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ـ#عاصفة_الحزم: أدلة على تدريب إيران للحوثيين وتسليحهم

Storm of Determination: Evidence for Iranian training of Houthis and their arming.

كما جدد التأكيد على وجود أدلة تدين إيران بدعم الحوثيين وتدريبهم، وعدم استبعاد وجود إيرانيين يقاتلون إلى جانب الميليشيات الحوثية.ـ

Renewed confirmation of the existence of witnesses [or: indicators] swearing that Iran supports Houthis and trains them. The presence of Iranians who are fighting side by side with Houthi militias cannot be excluded.

[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on April 11, 2015. Report from a regular press conference summoned by the Saudi general staff.]




قناة إيرانية تعلن مقتل #عبد_الملك_الحوثي بغارة سعودية

An Iranian channel reports the killing of
Abdul-Malik al-Houthi in a Saudi attack.

[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on April 12, 2015]

Editor's Note:
Sheikh Sayyid Abdul-Malik al-Houthi (born January 1st, 1982- dead 12 april 2015) was a leader of the Zaidi Shia movement Ansar Allah (Houthis). His brothers Yahia Badreddin al-Houthi and Abdul-Karim Badreddin Al-Houthi are also leaders of the group, as was his late brother Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi. Houthi addressed the nation on Yemen TV in a late-night speech on 20 January 2015 after troops loyal to him seized the presidential palace and attacked the private residence of President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi in Sana'a. He demanded Hadi implement reforms giving the Houthi movement more control over the government. Although it was initially reported that Hadi conceded to Houthi's demands, the president resigned from office on 22 January, saying the political process had "reached a dead end".

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Yemen - Iran's Diplomatic Offensive

جواد ظريف: على باكستان وإيران العمل سويا فى موضوع اليمن

Javad Zarif: Joint action taken in Pakistan and Iran concerning Yemen.

قال وزير الخارجية الإيرانى محمد جواد ظريف اليوم الأربعاء أن على باكستان وإيران العمل سويا لإيجاد حل سياسى لأزمة اليمن.ـ

Today, Tuesday [April 8], Iran's minister of foreign affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, declared that in Pakistan and Iran joint action is taken to find a political solution for the crisis in Yemen.

وأضاف ظريف خلال زيارة لإسلام أباد "نحن بحاجة إلى العمل سويا لإيجاد حل سياسى".ـ

Zarif added during his visit to Islamabad: " In this matter we are [working together] to find a political solution. "

ومن المتوقع أن يدعو ظريف خلال زيارته لباكستان إسلام آباد إلى رفض الطلب السعودى بأن تنضم باكستان إلى العملية العسكرية ضد قوات الحوثى المتحالفة مع إيران.ـ

It is probable that Zarif, during his visit to Pakistan, incited Islamabad to reject the Saudi demand that Pakistan might join the military operation directed against Houthi forces and who are allied with Iran.

[Source: YOUM7 اليوم السابع on April 8, 2015]


Only one day before, news were spread by Al-Jazeera that Turkey's president Erdogan and Iran's president Rouhani should have met in Tehran for talks on points of common interest, including the Yemeni crisis. Both sides should have stated their preference for a political solution in the conflict. Rouhani is said to have reached out to Erdogan, and who is in favour of the Saudi-led military operation in Yemen, by pointing to other items where Turkey and Iran were able to reach an agreement.




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Evacuation of Foreigners in Yemen

Evening Update for April 6 further down !



Coalition Partners form Committee to Evacuate Civilians in Yemen.

On a press conference held in Riyadh on Saturday April 4, Saudi Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Ahmed Asiri told reporters that a newly formed committee had already coordinated the evacuation of foreigners in Yemen from five countries: Russia, India, Algeria, Indonesia and Pakistan.

Flights organized to evacuate other foreigners in Yemen were also scheduled for Sunday, and included those from China, Djibouti, Egypt and Pakistan. Other countries who have requested their citizens to be evacuated included Britain, Germany, Canada, Jordan and Iraq, he said, adding that the committee was awaiting flights from those countries to arrive in order to begin the evacuation process in full.

All these efforts were coordinated with the countries in question as well as coalition countries, and aircraft from members of Operation Decisive Storm, such as Jordan and Egypt, had helped evacuate Russian civilians from the country on Wednesday, 1st April, Asiri revealed.

In the same week, Russia had requested a stop of all air strikes by the Arabic coalition. A Russian draft resolution to the United Nations demanded "regular and obligatory humanitarian pauses in the air strikes by the coalition to allow all concerned states and international organisations to evacuate their citizens and personnel".

Spokesman Maj. Gen. Asiri confirmed that the Saudi Defense Ministry, which is coordinating the activities of the committee to evacuate civilians in Yemen, is also helping organize procedures to ease and speed up the work of trusted and internationally recognized humanitarian agencies, in order to allow them to reach those most affected by the conflict. The request for a 24-hour ceasefire by the Red Cross could be met according to the spokesman.

[Main sources: Asharq Al-Awsat , English edition, and Sky News on April 5, 2015]

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#Storm of Determination عاصفة_الحزم
Arabic Twitter News recorded on April 5, 2015




* #عاصفة_الحزم : صد محاولة حفر خنادق على الحدود #السعودية

Storm of Determination: Foiling of an attempt to dig trenches at the border to Saudi Arabia.

[Source: Al-Hadath TV قناة الحدث on April 5, 2015]


* المؤشر العام للسوق السعودي

Annual Indicator for the Saudi Market.



It's about the Saudi Tadawul All-Share Index (TASI), which has continued its permanent decay with a record diving since the beginning of Saudi bombing of military targets in Yemen on March 25, 2015.

[Source: @AABO_Nawaf أحمد الدعيج on April 5, 2015]

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Evening Update for April 6, 2015:



مقتل 193 بهجمات لميليشيات الحوثي وصالح على عدن

193 died in the attacks on Aden launched by militias
belonging to the Houthis and [ Ali Abdullah ] Saleh.

سفرت الهجمات التي نفذتها الميليشيات الحوثية وميليشيات الرئيس اليمني المخلوع علي عبدالله صالح على عدن، عن مقتل 193 شخصاً وجرح 1000، معظمهم مدنيون، منذ بدء المعارك في المدينة.ـ

In Aden, attacks are spreading that have been staged by Houthi militants and militias of deposed Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh and where 193 people have been killed and 1.000 wounded, most of them citizens, since the beginning of fightings in the town.

[Source: Al-Arabiya / Al-Hadath العربية / الحدث on April 6, 2015]

Since the bombing campaign and intense fighting began all over Yemen just over a week ago, some 600 people are estimated to have been killed. Many more have been wounded, and tens of thousands have fled the country. [Source: CNN on April 6, 2015]



The Crisis in Yemen Explained by Bloomberg Business (March 27, 2015)

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Yemen - The Arabic Storm of Determination

Update for 2nd April added further down.



ـ#عاصفة_الحزم ... اللواء 111 يعلن دعمه للشرعية باليمن

#Storm of Determination ..... Brigade 111 declares its support of [law enforcement] in Yemen.

The Saudi-owned TV station Al-Arabiya in Dubai is now blowing the horn of patriotism when it comes to military action of the Arabic alliance against Houthi controlled Yemen. Quoting the news and comments that appeared on Twitter under the hashtag ـ#عاصفة_الحزم and which means Storm of Determination, Al-Arabiya offers a link to further Arabic sources of similar orientation.

One of those "tweets" leads to an English-subtitled video describing the expansion of Houthi militias into neighbouring regions and their strategy of mining those areas. The video, first published in December 2013, is giving a voice to local sheikhs and other witnesses and is showing irritating pictures of children wounded or killed by Houthi landmines. It should serve to give an idea of the cruelties of war in those remote areas of Yemen.



Anti-Houthi video published by The Elevated Observer راصد صعدة




#Storm of Determination: 3rd Day of Arabic engagement in Yemen.

[Sources: Al-Arabiya العربية on 1st April 2015 and related Twitter News]

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Update for 2nd April, 2015:

مقتل عريف سعودي و إصابة 10 على الحدود مع اليمن

One Saudi corporal died while 10 were wounded at the border to Yemen.




Scene from video: Saudi air force bombing a military facility.

قوات #عاصفة_الحزم تعلن فشل الحوثيين بالسيطرة على #عدن

Forces of the #Storm of Determination announce that Houthis lost control of Aden.

[Source: Al-Arabiya العربية on 2nd April 2015]

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