A senior source at the Ministry of Defense has responded to media reports about the docking of Iranian warships at Jeddah Islamic Seaport en route to the Port of Tartous, Syria. The source said “firstly a request was submitted by the Iranian Embassy on 13/12/2011, through legal channels, to obtain a permit for docking two Iranian warships, “Kharg” and “Shaid Qandi”, and a helicopter to anchor at the seaport from Feb. 1 and 7, 2012 as part of training for Iranian Navy cadets in the framework of friendly visits; their request was approved.” Following their request, the Iranian Embassy again requested a permission allowing three ships (Bandar Abbas; Al-Wind, a destroyer; Al-Barz, also a destroyer) and a helicopter to dock at Jeddah Islamic Seaport during the same period. These ships replaced Kharg and Shaid Qandi and also took part in the training session for Iranian cadets, the source said, adding, this was the aim for anchoring warships. The source said “It is not like what Iranian Navy Commander Admiral Habibollah Sayari said, that the aim of the visit was to communicate with the countries in the region and show Iran's power in the open seas and to confront Iranphobia.” The source emphasized that “these approvals come within the framework of a long tradition of naval forces throughout the world, allowing passage and docking within international conventions.” The source said: “The Ministry of Defense approved the visit because the Kingdom was keen to maintain friendly relations with all sisterly and friendly countries based on the principle of good intentions and to develop relations based on mutual respect and trust.”
