News / Defense

Iran set to launch final stage of Velayat 94 naval drills

Tuesday, 26 January 2016 11:33 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 27 January 2016 3:54 AM ]

Iran's Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari

Iran is set to hold the final stage of large-scale naval maneuver codenamed “Velayat 94” in the high seas.

The final stage of the massive drills will be held in an area of three million square kilometers east of the Strait of Hormuz, Sea of Oman and northern part of the Indian Ocean, Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said Tuesday.

“The maneuver has been underway since January 21 and the forces have been deployed to their positions,” Sayyari said, adding the tactical phases of the military exercise will begin on Wednesday.

Sayyari said that the naval drills aim to demonstrate the might of Iranian naval forces in maintaining security in the seas.

“In this war game, we will exercise how to maintain security in the northern part of the Indian Ocean,” he said.

He added that various types of submarines, destroyers, missile launchers, auxiliary cruisers, and marine brigades, would take part in the maneuvers.

In recent years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in the production of important military equipment and systems.

The country has also conducted major military drills to enhance the defense capabilities of its armed forces and to test modern military tactics and state-of-the-art equipment.

The Islamic Republic maintains that its military might poses no threat to other countries, stating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence.

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