Iranian warships to pass through the Suez Canal

Two Iranian warships are on their way to the Suez Canal with the view to pass it through, reported Thursday Iran's governmental TV channel Press TV referring to the national navy. 

According to the representative of Iranian Navy, official Tehran had discussed the forthcoming passage with Egyptian agencies authorized to allow naval ships passing the canal, and received no objections. 

Earlier on, Reuters quoted representative of Suez Canal administration Ahmed Al-Manahli saying that Iranian warships had not passed the canal on Thursday and were not in the Friday's passage list. 

According to another official from the canal administration, his office was informed that the scheduled passage of the Suez Canal by Iranian warships had been canceled. Reportedly, the new date has not been determined. 

As of Thursday, Iranian frigate Alvand and auxiliary vessel Kharg stayed in Saudi port Jidda, added the source. 

Recall the statement of Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Liberman saying on Feb 16 that it is the first time in long period Iran intends to dispatch its warships through the Suez Canal, and called this plans a provocation which can considerably strain the situation in the Middle East.

Iran deploys two warships to Mediterranean

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday called the fact of two Iranian warships heading to the Mediterranean Sea through the Suez Canal a "provocation."

In a speech before the leaders U.S. Jewish organization in Jerusalem, Lieberman said that the two Iranian warships would pass through the Suez Canal overnight and then head to Syria, a country with which Israel is formally at war.

Lieberman referred that the deployment of the warships was "a provocation that proves Iran's nerve and self-esteem is growing from day to day."

According to Israel National News.com, Iran announced it has planned that the warships would be deployed near Israel and dock at a Syrian port for one year.

Iranian news agencies in January announced the beginning of the country's year-long drills that would deploy warships from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal.