Jan. 7 (Bloomberg) -- Iran welcomed the U.S operation to save 13 Iranian sailors from captors, Ramin Mehmanparast, a spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry, told state-run Al Alam television today.

The U.S. Navy rescued Iranian fishermen held hostage by pirates in the Northern Arabian Sea.

--Editors: Rachel Graham, Emily Bowers

To contact the reporter on this story: Zaid Sabah Abd Alhamid in Washington at zalhamid@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Will Daley at wdaley2@bloomberg.net