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DUBAI: Fishermen of the west coast of Yemen have appealed for protection against supposed threats from the Iranian ship “Safiz” in the Red Sea, Yemeni media reported on Tuesday.

A statement by the fishermen union in Taiz called for action to remove suspicious vessels in the west coast, which they said were being used by Iran and Houthi militia.

The fishermen particularly claimed that the Iranian ship ‘Safiz’ was carrying listening devices and radars to coordinate with the Houthis, as well as harassing and threatening the lives of fishermen.

The union also appealed to the internationally recognized government of Yemen and the Saudi-led coalition to protect fishermen operating on the west coast, and to ensure that their lives were not endangered by the presence of the Iranian ship, which they claimed was causing great harm and damage to their sole source of income.

The fishermen’s union likewise called on the international community to protect the international waters from Iranian presence and appealed to the United Nations to investigate why the Iranian ship ‘Safiz’ was in the Red Sea.