Iran says thwarts pirate attack in Gulf of Aden

Iranian warships opened fire on suspected pirate boats in the Gulf of Aden to prevent an attempted hijack of three Iranian commercial vessels, a navy commander said on Saturday.

"After the boats ignored warnings, the pirates were sent fleeing by our shooting and they left the area," state radio quoted Fariborz Qaderpanah as saying. He said the incident took place on Friday. (Reuters)