Iran's Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, said his country will hold large-scale naval exercises, codenamed ‘Velayat 95', in the northern part of the Indian Ocean in mid-February.
MEHR news agency reports from Tehran that Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari added that the presence of this massive naval force on the open seas is a highly significant step aimed at safeguarding oil tankers and commercial vessels.
Sayyari said that "in every area on the sea where vessels belonging to the Islamic Republic of Iran are carrying the country's energy and economic goods, the navy's presence is essential to ensure that the vessels will not come under pirate attacks."
"Iranian fleets have so far travelled as far as Indian Ocean littoral states and South East Asian countries, and in the near future, they will launch voyages to Atlantic and Pacific oceans as well," he added.
"In the near future, Fateh class submarine, Sahand Destroyer and another missile-launching warship will be deployed to Iran's fleet," he added.
source; commonspace.eu with MEHR news agency, Tehran
photo: Iran's Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari