Times are Jerusalem/Cairo time (GMT+2)
For further updates see latest post: Iranian Ships Enter Suez Canal (Live Updates)
Tuesday 05:45 According to BBC, canal officials have reported that two Iranian warships have entered the Suez Canal to make a passage to the Mediterranean Sea.They entered the canal at 5:45am Jerusalem/Cairo time (0345 GMT).
Monday 18:30 According to Bloomberg, the head of traffic at the Suez Canal Authority has reported that the authority has not yet received a schedule for the passage of two Iranian warships through the waterway. According to Bloomber, the Suez Canal accounts for 2.5% of world oil output and is a key route for Euroasian trade.
Monday 16:00 Suez Canal officials say two Iranian naval vessels are expected to start their passage through the strategic waterway early Tuesday. (AP)
Sunday 21:30 According to INN, a Suez Canal source said Sunday evening that the passage of two Iranian warships to the Mediterranean Sea has been postponed 48 hours (i.e. until Tuesday night).
15:00 According to DEBKA File, Cairo and Tehran are colluding to slip the Iranian warships through the Suez Canal and create confusion around the ships' permissions, location and status to deflect international criticism. The Iranian cruiser Kharg is carrying long-term missiles for Hezbollah which it plans to unload at Beriut or further north. As reported by Debka earlier, US State Department spokesman P.J Crowley said he was "highly skeptical" of the Syrian claim that the two ships' visit was for training. "If the ships move through the canal, we will evaluate what they actually do. It's not really about the ships. It's about what the ships are carrying, what's their destination, what's the cargo on board, where's it going, to whom and for what benefit." According to UN sanctions, the US and all US members are authorized to board and search Iranian ships suspected of carrying illegal weapons. According to Debka, Iran has openly expressed its plants to expand its naval and military presence beyond the Persian Gulf and Red Sea to the Mediterranean via Suez: On February 2, Iran's Deputy Navy Commander Rear Admiral Gholam-Reza Khadem Biqam announced the flotilla's mission was to "enter the waters of the Red Sea and then be dispatched to the Mediterranean Sea."
12:50 Suez canal officials have denied reports that the Iranian ships have sailed through the waterway. (Sky News)
12:10 Iran's state broadcaster Al-Alam says vessels have reached Mediterranean and are headed to a Syrian port. (Haaretz)
11:11 Debka File says ships were delayed on fake pretexts to generate confusion over their movements.
11:00 Netanyahu in weekly cabinet meeting: Israel views with utmost gravity the intent of Iran to send warships to the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. Called the maneuver "an Iranian attempt to expand its influence in the region." (Jpost)
9:30: Iran claims two if its warships have already passed through the Suez Canal. The claim has yet to be confirmed by independent sources. (INN)
9:00: A Suez Canal official said that the Iranian ships will arrive at the southern part of the canal later Sunday and will enter the Mediterranean on Monday morning. (JPost)
0:20 Sunday: A Suez official has reported that the two Iranian ships will sail from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean on Monday. (Reuters)
21:20 Thursday: According to YNet, Egypt's Foreign Ministry has confirmed that two Iranian naval vessels have submitted a request to transit the Suez Canal. According to the Jerusalem Post, a Suez Canal official said the Defense Ministry would process the application (read: the Defense Ministry has to figure out who it currently is, whether it is more hostile to Iran or to Israel, and whether it wants a major confrontation with the World of the Free).
18:00 Thursday: According to INN, Iranian state television reported Thursday that the two Iranian warships are still heading for the Suez Canal. Senior Iranian official: "We are in contact with out colleagues in Cairo to insure the passage of the vessels. The Egyptian authorities said there is no bar to the passing of the ships."
15:00 Thursday: According to a senior canal official, the Iranian vessels have withdrew a request Thursday to pass through the Suez Canal after Israel expressed concerns over the plans. The ships are currently near the Saudi Red Sea port of Jiddah. Were the ships just a way for Iran to distract the world's attention from reports of the regime's violent suppression of democracy protests, using its favorite scapegoat, Israel?
22:00 Wednesday: The director of transit at the Suez Canal Authority said that the passage of any warship through the canal requires approval from the Egyptian ministry of Defense (um, does that currently exist??) and from Egyptian security officials (ditto) 48 hours in advance, and that no such request has been received nor granted, according to Al Jazeera.
19:00 Wednesday: Today Israeli FM Lieberman called the Iranian act a "provocation" and called for the international community to understand that "Israel will not be able to ignore these provocations forever." These comments were interpreted by many as an Israeli hint that it would retaliate, and right after Lieberman's comments went public, fears of more mideast tumult spiked oil prices worldwide. Brent crude hit a 29-month high after rising to $104.52 around noon EST.
For further updates see latest post: Iranian Ships Enter Suez Canal (Live Updates)
Tuesday 05:45 According to BBC, canal officials have reported that two Iranian warships have entered the Suez Canal to make a passage to the Mediterranean Sea.They entered the canal at 5:45am Jerusalem/Cairo time (0345 GMT).
Monday 18:30 According to Bloomberg, the head of traffic at the Suez Canal Authority has reported that the authority has not yet received a schedule for the passage of two Iranian warships through the waterway. According to Bloomber, the Suez Canal accounts for 2.5% of world oil output and is a key route for Euroasian trade.
Monday 16:00 Suez Canal officials say two Iranian naval vessels are expected to start their passage through the strategic waterway early Tuesday. (AP)
Sunday 21:30 According to INN, a Suez Canal source said Sunday evening that the passage of two Iranian warships to the Mediterranean Sea has been postponed 48 hours (i.e. until Tuesday night).
15:00 According to DEBKA File, Cairo and Tehran are colluding to slip the Iranian warships through the Suez Canal and create confusion around the ships' permissions, location and status to deflect international criticism. The Iranian cruiser Kharg is carrying long-term missiles for Hezbollah which it plans to unload at Beriut or further north. As reported by Debka earlier, US State Department spokesman P.J Crowley said he was "highly skeptical" of the Syrian claim that the two ships' visit was for training. "If the ships move through the canal, we will evaluate what they actually do. It's not really about the ships. It's about what the ships are carrying, what's their destination, what's the cargo on board, where's it going, to whom and for what benefit." According to UN sanctions, the US and all US members are authorized to board and search Iranian ships suspected of carrying illegal weapons. According to Debka, Iran has openly expressed its plants to expand its naval and military presence beyond the Persian Gulf and Red Sea to the Mediterranean via Suez: On February 2, Iran's Deputy Navy Commander Rear Admiral Gholam-Reza Khadem Biqam announced the flotilla's mission was to "enter the waters of the Red Sea and then be dispatched to the Mediterranean Sea."
12:50 Suez canal officials have denied reports that the Iranian ships have sailed through the waterway. (Sky News)
12:10 Iran's state broadcaster Al-Alam says vessels have reached Mediterranean and are headed to a Syrian port. (Haaretz)
11:11 Debka File says ships were delayed on fake pretexts to generate confusion over their movements.
11:00 Netanyahu in weekly cabinet meeting: Israel views with utmost gravity the intent of Iran to send warships to the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. Called the maneuver "an Iranian attempt to expand its influence in the region." (Jpost)
9:30: Iran claims two if its warships have already passed through the Suez Canal. The claim has yet to be confirmed by independent sources. (INN)
9:00: A Suez Canal official said that the Iranian ships will arrive at the southern part of the canal later Sunday and will enter the Mediterranean on Monday morning. (JPost)
0:20 Sunday: A Suez official has reported that the two Iranian ships will sail from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean on Monday. (Reuters)
21:20 Thursday: According to YNet, Egypt's Foreign Ministry has confirmed that two Iranian naval vessels have submitted a request to transit the Suez Canal. According to the Jerusalem Post, a Suez Canal official said the Defense Ministry would process the application (read: the Defense Ministry has to figure out who it currently is, whether it is more hostile to Iran or to Israel, and whether it wants a major confrontation with the World of the Free).
18:00 Thursday: According to INN, Iranian state television reported Thursday that the two Iranian warships are still heading for the Suez Canal. Senior Iranian official: "We are in contact with out colleagues in Cairo to insure the passage of the vessels. The Egyptian authorities said there is no bar to the passing of the ships."
15:00 Thursday: According to a senior canal official, the Iranian vessels have withdrew a request Thursday to pass through the Suez Canal after Israel expressed concerns over the plans. The ships are currently near the Saudi Red Sea port of Jiddah. Were the ships just a way for Iran to distract the world's attention from reports of the regime's violent suppression of democracy protests, using its favorite scapegoat, Israel?
22:00 Wednesday: The director of transit at the Suez Canal Authority said that the passage of any warship through the canal requires approval from the Egyptian ministry of Defense (um, does that currently exist??) and from Egyptian security officials (ditto) 48 hours in advance, and that no such request has been received nor granted, according to Al Jazeera.
19:00 Wednesday: Today Israeli FM Lieberman called the Iranian act a "provocation" and called for the international community to understand that "Israel will not be able to ignore these provocations forever." These comments were interpreted by many as an Israeli hint that it would retaliate, and right after Lieberman's comments went public, fears of more mideast tumult spiked oil prices worldwide. Brent crude hit a 29-month high after rising to $104.52 around noon EST.
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