"The Islamic Republic of Iran is planning to build new frigates
in the Caspian Sea," Commander of the Iranian Army's 4th Naval
Zone Admiral Khordad Hakimi told reporters in the Northern port city
of Anzali today. He announced the Navy's plans to further develop its
equipment in the Caspian Sea. Hakimi also underlined that "establishment
of order, security, peace and friendship in the Caspian Sea region is
the Navy's strategy". |
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In relevant remarks on Monday, Hakimi said that
the Iranian Navy planned to launch one of its advanced home-made destroyers,
named Damavand, in the country's Northern territorial waters in the
near future.
"The destroyer, Damavand, will join the Navy warships in Northern
Iran (in the Caspian Sea) by the end of the current (Iranian) year (which
ends on March 20)," he said.
Tehran launched an arms development program during the 1980-88 Iraqi
imposed war on Iran to compensate for a US weapons embargo. Since 1992,
Iran has produced its own tanks, armored personnel carriers, missiles
and fighter planes.
Yet, Iranian officials have always stressed that the country's military
and arms programs serve defensive purposes and should not be perceived
as a threat to any other country.
Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said on Saturday that
the Iranian Navy is fully capable of manufacturing all its needed military
tools and equipment.
The commander said that self-sufficiency in producing naval equipment
has given the Iranian Navy strong surface and underwater capabilities
both.
“The joint search and rescue exercise with the Omani Navy will
be held in March 2014”, Sayyari announced while underscoring the
importance of holding wargames in upgrading the might of naval force
in defending Iran's waters.
The Iranian Navy has accelerated and widened its progress after Supreme
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei described
it as "a strategic force".
"Given the current issues of the world and today's geopolitical
conditions of the world, we should strengthen ourselves in sea and in
coast as far as we can," Ayatollah Khamenei stressed on November
28, 2010, addressing senior Navy commanders here in Tehran in a ceremony
to commemorate the National Navy Day.
The leader also stressed that increasing manpower, recruiting talented
personnel and taking innovations and initiatives into action are highly
necessary for the future of the country's naval forces.
From: FarsNews
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