Iranian Navy vessels passing the fall application of Suez Canal

CAIRO - Two Iranian naval vessels on Thursday withdrew a request to transit the Suez Canal after Israel expressed concern over the plans, a senior official said channel.

The official said no reason was given for the decision to withdraw the application. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media said it was unknown whether the vessels to transit the waterway at a later date.

The Suez Canal official identified the two as the Alvand ships, a frigate and Kharq, a supply ship, and said they were on their way to Syria. He said he is in an area near the Saudi city of the Red Sea port of Jeddah.

The Israeli foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, said on Wednesday Iran was ready to send two warships through the Suez Canal for the first time in years, calling it a "provocation."

Israel considers Iran an existential threat because of its controversial nuclear program, ballistic missile development, support for militants in the region and its threats to destroy Israel. While Israel has insisted that international sanctions to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, has not had the possibility of a military strike on the table.

Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

Egyptian official MENA news agency quoted al-Manakhly Ahmed, a senior official of the Suez Canal, denying that the management of the waterway had been no request by Iranian naval vessels to transit the canal.

On Wednesday, the spokesman of U.S. State Department, PJ Crowley, confirmed the presence of two Iranian boats in the Canal Zone but did not say if that was considered provocative.

"There are two ships in the Red Sea," he said, "What is your intention, your destination, I can not say."

Vessels intending to transit the Suez Canal, which connects the Red Sea and the Mediterranean, should be given the authority of the waterway, for at least 24 hours notice before entering the channel.

Only vessels that do not meet the safety requirements are prohibited from using the channel.

In the case of warships, a clearance of the Egyptian defense and foreign ministries are required in advance, but is rarely retained.