Passage of Iranian warships through Suez Canal postponed to Wednesday

21.02.2011 Passage of two Iranian ships through the Suez Canal was postponed for 48 hours, reports Reuters referring to the canal administration.

Iranian frigate and supply vessel were supposed to pass the canal at 6 am on Monday.

Iranian governmental TV channel Al-Alam reported on Sunday that the ships had passed the Suez Canal and were moving towards Syrian port, although the canal administration refuted this information.

Iranian warships have not passed the Suez Canal since Iranian Islamic Revolution in 1979. The coming passage through the canal was planned under the one-year long cruise of Iranian warships; news agencies of the Islamic Republic reported of the event as early as Jan 2011.

On Friday Egyptian authorities answered affirmative to request of Iranian diplomatic mission in Cairo to permit Iranian ships pass through the canal.

Forthcoming arrival of Iranian warships to the Mediterranean Sea aroused concerns in Israel, since they are supposed to head for Syria which is formal Israel's adversary. As for Israeli foreign minister Avigdor Liberman, passage of Suez Canal is a provocation demonstrating that "the self-confidence and impudence of the Iranians is growing from day to day".

Meanwhile, Egyptian TV said there are no weapons of mass destruction on board Iranian warships.