TEHRAN – Up to 220 Iranian lawmakers on Tuesday hailed the country’s 86th naval fleet, which returned home last week after a round-the-world voyage, saying the Islamic Republic’s navy is a source of pride for the nation.
The navy brought great honor to the nation both during the eight-year imposed war against the country and for years afterwards, the lawmakers said in a statement.
“The navy is a source of pride for the honorable nation of Iran,” they added.
The lawmakers noted that Iranian naval personnel have proved with their “tremendous” effort that they have a comprehensive understanding of the guidelines of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who has emphasized, “Don’t be satisfied with the status quo and move forward.”
The lawmakers further expressed their gratitude to the families of the navy’s 86th flotilla crew members, who endured the hardships of being away from their loved ones, and appreciated the sincere efforts made by the fleet’s commanders, officials and staff.
Iran’s 86th flotilla, comprised of domestically-manufactured Dena destroyer and Makran forward base ship, entered the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic of Iran on Wednesday, after sailing 63,000 kilometers of sea routes over eight months and a circumnavigation of the globe in 360 degrees.
The 86th flotilla broke the record for the distance an Iranian flotilla has ever sailed in international waters and crossed the Strait of Magellan — the nearest region to the South Pole — during its mission, a main purpose of which was to test the strength of the steel hull of the Dena destroyer in cold waters.
The 86th naval fleet had set sail on a mission around the world from Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas on September 20, 2022.
One of the main goals of the mission by the 86th flotilla, dubbed “360 degrees”, was the deployment of Iranian warships to the Antarctic.
Antarctica is one of the most important strategic regions in the world, with 30 countries having 70 active research centers there.
The establishment of a permanent base by the Islamic Republic of Iran in the South Pole in order to increase the strategic depth of the country has received a lot of attention over the past years.