Iranian warships will join an international armada fighting piracy in the waters off the coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden.

Piracy off the coast of Somalia has led to attacks on more than 200 ships over the past 15 months. International concerns over the issue have prompted a fleet of warships to attempt to protect merchant ships in one the world's most important shipping lanes.

In line with the international efforts Tehran will deploy two warships in the troubled region, Iran's ambassador to the UN, Mohammad Khazaei, said in a letter to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday.

The warships, which will set sail within the next two days, will embark on a five-month patrol mission and will confront pirates to safeguard the maritime trade in the region, Khazaei said.

The warships will especially make effort to protect ships and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran.

Naval ships from the European Union, NATO and other US-led coalitions have been stationed in the region to prevent hijackings and to capture the ominous pirates.

However, despite international efforts and calls for countering piracy in the notorious Somali waters, the bandits continue to seize ships, holding them until hefty ransoms are paid.

The pirates captured an Iranian vessel for what they called illegal fishing in the northern semi-autonomous region of Puntland in March.

In November, Somali pirates also hijacked a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship, Delight, operated by the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) in the Gulf of Aden.

The UN Security Council passed four resolutions on the issue in 2008, the last of which -- issued in December -- authorizes states to "take all necessary measures that are appropriate in Somalia" to suppress "acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea" for one year.

AR/JG/MMN