Iran Navy to continue its presence in high seas: Top general
The chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces said that Iran’s Navy will resolutely continue its presence in the oceans, referring to the successful round-the-globe mission of the navy’s 86th flotilla.
Making the remarks on the homecoming ceremony of the flotilla in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Sunday, Major General Mohammad Hossein Baqeri added, “We do not need foreigners to make our region secure,” Press TV reported.
The Iranian top general said the country’s 86th naval flotilla concluded its historic voyage on the high seas to mark an outstanding achievement in the history of Iran’s naval missions despite Western-led sanctions against the Islamic Republic.
The 86th flotilla, which set sail from the south of Iran in early autumn, returned home on Saturday after circumnavigating the world. It has officially broken the record for the distance an Iranian flotilla has sailed in international waters.
He said the flotilla, which is comprised of the domestically-manufactured Dena destroyer and Makran forward base ship, is a source of pride for the Iranian nation.
“Maritime prowess is among the most significant factors of our country’s military might,” Baqeri said.
“We are gifted with homegrown industries [and expertise] and do not lack anything to become a major naval power. Furthermore, our commanders and marines undertake naval missions fearlessly.”
The top general said the unprecedented move of the Iranian Navy in carrying out this difficult mission ushers in a new era for the Iranian Armed Forces, adding, “Even major countries in the world do not have the courage to undertake such a [formidable] task”.
“Our forces sailed through a precarious route. Through faith, devotion, and patriotism, our forces pulled off such an achievement,” the top general said, stressing that dignity can only be preserved through the path of power.
‘Iran is impervious to isolation’
Addressing the ceremony, Commander of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said that his force, through its deployment to the high seas and conclusion of the lengthy naval mission, has established and expanded its strategic depth, foresight in maritime prowess, and regional identity and influence.
Irani said Iranian marines, under Commander-in-Chief of the Iranian Armed Forces Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, managed for the first time ever to employ modern technologies and know-how to convey the message of peace and friendship.
The naval forces onboard Dena and Makran showed up on the high seas to declare that the Islamic Republic is impervious to isolation and sanctions, and continues to tread the path of sustainable development through the promotion of interactions with other nations, the navy chief added.
Irani said that Iranian marines pulled off a scientific, political, and cultural achievement.
“Iran, with its discourse of resistance and motto of peace and friendship, is properly placing itself in the new world order. This is a sign of the waning power and hegemony of the United States,” he remarked.
The flotilla’s return was hailed by top Iranian officials and commanders including the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei, who congratulated the “courageous forces of the 86th flotilla of warships of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army on their great and successful voyage.”