This file picture shows Jamaran destroyer of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy sailing in the Persian Gulf waters. (Photo by Mizan news agency)
Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani says there will soon be new additions to the force and that effective presence across the world’s oceans is a “priority.”
Irani made the announcement in a ceremony in the southern city of Sirjan in Kerman Province on Wednesday, saying the Navy has made “good progress” in the operational areas and that there will be new additions ahead, which will continue to keep the force at the point of authority and progress.
“Soon, we will see accessions in the Navy and effective presence in all oceans is on the agenda and a priority,” the top commander said. “Our achievements are those of the people and the country as the Navy is a showcase of the country on the international stage.”
Irani underlined that the Navy has acquired advanced drones in the field of unmanned aerial vehicles, which has increased the force’s combat power in the area.
Iranian military experts and engineers have in recent years made remarkable breakthroughs in manufacturing a broad range of indigenous equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient.
Iranian officials have repeatedly underscored that the country will not hesitate to strengthen its military capabilities which are entirely meant for defense, and that Iran’s defense capabilities will be never subject to negotiations.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has repeatedly called for efforts to maintain and boost Iran’s defense capabilities.
In May last year, the Iranian Navy’s 86th flotilla of warships entered the country’s territorial waters after a round-the-world voyage as part of the Islamic Republic’s efforts to expand its naval presence in high seas.
The Iranian Navy’s flotilla, comprised of domestically-manufactured Dena destroyer and Makran forward base ship completed its maritime journey after sailing 63,000 kilometers of sea routes over eight months and a circumnavigation of the globe in 360 degrees.
The 86th naval fleet, which set sail on a mission around the world from Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas on September 20, 2022, had its first stop at the port of Mumbai, India, and then docked in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, after passing through the Bay of Bengal and the Strait of Malacca.
The flotilla continued its route towards the Java Sea and passed through the Strait of Makassar and the Celebes Sea, arriving in the vast Pacific Ocean for the first time in the history of Iran’s military seafaring.
Crossing the greatest width of the Pacific Ocean and passing by the islands of Micronesia and Polynesia, the flotilla moved towards the Strait of Magellan in the south of the Americas and entered the South Atlantic Ocean by crossing the strait.
The 86th naval fleet, then, moved north and passed the coasts of Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, finally anchoring in the port of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, which coincided with the 120th anniversary of the establishment of relations between Iran and Brazil.
After stopping for a few days in Rio de Janeiro, the naval squadron crossed the Atlantic Ocean and anchored in the city of Cape Town, South Africa. The flotilla berthed in the port of Salalah, Oman, and after a 40-day voyage, sailed into Iran’s territorial waters.