Iran to Gaza Aid Ships: We'll Escort You

Khamenei's offer will obviously not go over well in Israel
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Suggested by MarionRozelle
Posted Jun 6, 2010 4:57 PM CDT
Iran to Gaza Aid Ships: We'll Escort You
Iran's offer would obviously stir anger in Israel.   (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

If aid ships want to try breaking Israel's naval blockade on Gaza again, they'll have the full force and military escort of Iran's Revolutionary Guard to do it, a spokesman for the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei said today. "Iran's Revolutionary Guards naval forces are fully prepared to escort the peace and freedom convoys to Gaza with all their powers and capabilities," said the rep.

"If the Supreme Leader issues an order for this then the Revolutionary Guard naval forces will do their best to secure the ships," the spokesman continued. "It is Iran's duty to defend the innocent people of Gaza." The move will enrage Israel, which has accused Iran of supplying Hamas, notes Reuters; PM Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to uphold the blockade to prevent "an Iranian port in Gaza."
(More Ali Khamenei stories.)

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