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U.S. rescues Iranians again

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Coast Guard cutter rescued six Iranian mariners from a vessel in distress in the Persian Gulf, the second time in less than a week that the U.S. military has come to the aid of Iranians at sea, an official said Tuesday.

This handout photo provided by the US Coast Guard shows the port beam view of the Iran-flagged Ya-Hussayn in Persian Gulf. A U.S. Coast Guard cutter rescued six Iranian mariners from a vessel in distress in the Persian Gulf, the second time in less than a week that the American military has come to the aid of Iranians at sea, an official said Tuesday. (AP Photo/US Coast Guard)
This handout photo provided by the US Coast Guard shows the port beam view of the Iran-flagged Ya-Hussayn in Persian Gulf. A U.S. Coast Guard cutter rescued six Iranian mariners from a vessel in distress in the Persian Gulf, the second time in less than a week that the American military has come to the aid of Iranians at sea, an official said Tuesday. (AP Photo/US Coast Guard)Read moreAP
    by By Robert Burns, Associated Press, Inquirer
    Published 

WASHINGTON - A U.S. Coast Guard cutter rescued six Iranian mariners from a vessel in distress in the Persian Gulf, the second time in less than a week that the U.S. military has come to the aid of Iranians at sea, an official said Tuesday.

The incident was another reminder of U.S. efforts to demonstrate the humanitarian value of its naval presence in the gulf. The Iranian government has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for international sanctions over its nuclear program.

On Thursday, the U.S. Navy rescued 13 Iranian fishermen who had been held captive by pirates in the northern Arabian Sea, just outside the gulf, for more than 40 days. That happened just days after Tehran warned the United States to keep its warships out of the gulf. The fishermen were sent on their way and the 15 pirates were taken aboard the aircraft carrier John C. Stennis.

Tuesday's rescue was the fifth time in 14 months that American forces have aided Iranians at sea, according to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. The largest effort was last Feb. 3, when the guided-missile cruiser Cape St. George provided assistance to 16 Iranian mariners on a fishing vessel in the Gulf of Oman.

In the latest incident, Pentagon press secretary George Little said Iranians aboard a cargo boat about 50 miles from the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr used flares and flashlights to hail the cutter Monomoy at 3 a.m. The vessel's master indicated his engine room was flooding and "deemed not seaworthy."

Naval Forces Central Command said two Iranians were rescued from the boat and four from a life raft. After being fed and receiving blankets and water, the Iranians were transferred to an Iranian coast guard vessel.

Naval Forces command quoted the boat owner as telling the Americans: "Without your help, we were dead. Thank you for all that you did for us."

An interpreter aboard the Monomoy quoted the captain of the Iranian coast guard vessel as saying that he "sends his regards and thanks to our captain and all crew members for assisting and taking care of the Iranian sailors."