IRGC ready to escort Gaza aid ships Sun, 06 Jun 2010 14:17:15 GMT Representative of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in the IRGC naval forces, Ali Shirazi Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has expressed readiness to escort aid convoys seeking to pierce the three-year Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The announcement comes nearly one week after Israeli navy commandos killed nine activists onboard the Turkish flagship of the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla, a convoy of nine ships carrying aid to the impoverished Palestinians trapped inside the enclave since 2007.
"In the wake of (last week's) unfair attack, it is Iran's duty to defend the innocent people of Gaza," Mehr News Agency, quoted Ali Shirazi, the Leader's representative in the IRGC naval forces, as saying on Sunday.
"Iran's naval forces are ready to escort the peace flotilla to Gaza with all their powers and capabilities," Shirazi added.
Shirazi went on to say that if the Leader of the Islamic Revolution issued a decree, the IRGC naval forces would immediately dispatch escort ships.
Despite international outrage over the deadly assault, which has triggered massive protests in Europe and the Middle East, Israeli commandos boarded another aid ship on Saturday.
Tatarewicz: Be interesting to see if Turkey becomes part of the protective convoy, and if attacked will NATO come to Turkey's aid as required by Treaty. Must be a lot of pressure from Israel's ruling toadies in US, Britain, France on Turkey to stay out. But then might be wise for aid ships not to ask for armed protection to avoid being caught min the crossfire. Iran would be wise to invite Israeli "customs officials" to the Gaza port to provide assurance that aid ships don't have military hardware.