Deputy commander of operations Rear Admiral Siavash Jarrehsaid 12 boats with armed men on board approached the unnamed vessel onWednesday morning.
The country’s 28th fleet, comprised of the destroyer Alborz,auxiliary ship Bandar Abbas and the Yunes submarine, together with a Bell 212Twin Huey helicopter, headed to the scene following a distress call.
Marines managed to deter the attack after an exchange offire.
Iranian forces also stopped two attempted hijackings of vessels duringOctober 2013.
