Somali pirates have hijacked an Iranian fishing boat called the Azini with 23 people on board. The Maritime Security Center Indian Ocean says the vessel was approaching a commercial shipping lane and could be used as a base for more attacks. The crew’s safety is unknown. The seizure follows a string of hijackings off Somalia that has added to shipping dangers in the region. The Iran war and threats from Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have already disrupted shipping routes and pushed up the cost of transporting oil. A maritime security officer with the Puntland Maritime Police Force said Sunday that the Azini was hijacked Thursday between the coastal towns of Bandar Bayla and Hafun in northeastern Somalia.