The World - News from Sept. 16, 1988

The commander of Iran’s navy said his ships will begin sweeping mines next week in international waters of the Persian Gulf to remove that threat from shipping lanes, Tehran Radio said. Rear Adm. Mohammed Hussein Malekzadegan said Tehran decided to remove the mines after accepting a U.N.-brokered cease-fire in the eight-year Iran-Iraq War. The admiral said his minesweepers have already cleared mines from Iranian waters and shipping lanes leading to southern Iranian ports and will now “mobilize all their potential to sweep in international waters in order to secure shipping.”