Iran Welcomes US Rescue of Sailors From Pirates Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman has welcomed the U.S. Navy's rescue of 13 Iranian fishermen held by pirates. Ramin Mehmanparast was quoted by state TV's Al-Alam Arabic channel as saying the rescue was a "humanitarian" gesture by the American warship and Iran welcomes that. In this Jan. 5, 2012 handout photo released by the US Navy, A U.S. Navy SH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter provides support to a visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS) team in a 7-meter rigid-hull inflatable boat, assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG 100). The VBSS team boarded the Iranian-flagged fishing dhow Al Molai after the dhow's master claimed he was being held captive by pirates. Kidd's VBSS team detained 15 suspected pirates who were reportedly holding a 13-member Iranian crew hostage for the last two months. Kidd is conducting counter-piracy and maritime security operations while deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. U.S. military officials say the Navy has rescued an Iranian fishing boat that had been commandeered by suspected Somali pirates. The rescue Thursday comes amid escalating threats from Iran that it could block the Strait of Hormuz in response to stronger economic sanctions against Tehran over its disputed nuclear enrichment program. (AP Photo/ U.S. Navy) Close But the hard-line Fars news agency called the rescue operation a Hollywood dramatization of a routine incident. U.S. officials announced Friday that the fishermen had been rescued by a U.S. Navy destroyer the day before, more than 40 days after their boat was commandeered by suspected Somali pirates in the northern Arabian Sea.