Cairo, 18 February – To the dismay of Israel Egypt's Foreign and Defence Ministries approved Iran's request to permit the passage of two of its warships through the Suez Canal. Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman described the move as a provocation of his country. The Suez Canal Authority has yet to receive the approval by the Defence Ministry in Cairo, but Tehran, which asserts the ships are not carrying weapons nor nuclear material, expects a smooth processing of its request.
The Iranian ships are heading to a Syrian port, where they are awaited by the Syrian Navy to help in training naval forces.
It is the first time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran that Tehran applies for passage of military vessels through the Suez Canal.
