Iranian Navy to expand presence in open seas: Iranian admiral

TEHRAN,May 5(MNA) – The Iranian Navy is ready to expand its presence in the Atlantic, Indian and Antarctic Oceans during the current Iranian calendar year if the Supreme Leader, who is the commander in chief of the Iranian armed forces, gives an order, the commander of the Navy announced on Saturday. The current Iranian calendar year started on March 21. Talking to reporters, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said Iran can expand its maritime trade and tourism industry through the seas, so it is necessary to implement strict security measures in the Persian Gulf region. “If we were not able to maintain security in the Gulf of Aden and Bab-el-Mandeb, our foreign trade could face many problems,” the admiral noted. Bab-el-Mandeb is a strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. He added, “The Army is always considering ways to develop and increase its naval capabilities and therefore our equipment should always be up-to-date, so all the time we consider manufacturing new submarines.” On a planned naval exercise by the United States in the Persian Gulf which starts this week, the admiral said that such moves are meant to promote Iranophobia. Such maneuvers are intended to portray Iran’s military capability as a threat to the interests of the Persian Gulf states, but as Supreme Leader has insisted the country’s military forces are only meant to defend national interests, the admiral added. The United States and its allies have planned to stage a naval exercise in the Persian Gulf on May 6-30 to practice minesweeping and escorting ships. Representatives from more than 30 countries will gather in Bahrain for the so-called International Mine Countermeasures Exercise.