A cargo ship that departed Iran for Yemen on Monday will be protected by Iranian warships, Reuters reported. According to Iran, the ship carries humanitarian aid and a team of doctors.
The Iranian-flagged Shahed cargo ship is scheduled to deliver the aid in 10-12 days to the Houthi-controlled port of Hodaida located on the Red Sea.
The warships, which are currently in the Gulf of Aden, have "special responsibility to protect the Iranian humanitarian aid ship," Admiral Hossein Azad asserted.
However, Saudi fears the cargo ship carries weapons. The Saudi-led coalition claims Iran is arming the Houthis and has searched previous Iranian ships upon arrival in Yemen.
In late April, the coalition bombed a runway in Sanaa to prevent Iran from landing a plane and delivering its contents to the Houthi forces.
Chairman of the Iranian Red Crescent Society Amir Mohsen Ziya’ee said, "based on international regulations, no one can inspect a vessel that is moving in international waters carrying the flag of a country."
Yet a Saudi military official has asserted the right of Saudi naval forces to inspect the ships.
The Saudi-led coalition launched airstrikes against the Houthi forces on the 26th of March.
The coalition plans to begin a five-day ceasefire on Tuesday to allow for the delivery of much-needed food and medicine.
