TEHRAN -- Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Major General Muhammad Bagheri said Monday Iran’s deterrent power is a driver of strong ties with Muslim nations.
In a message on the occasion of the Iranian Navy Day, he said Iran’s deterrence will bring about prerequisites for shared security and lasting peace, particularly in the West Asia region.
“It will disappoint the enemies who seek to sow discord in the resistance front and among the Muslim nations,” he said.
He commended Iran’s powerful presence in national and international waters which has been tantamount to sacred determination to boost the country’s might and play an influential role in defending national rights and interests in line with the guidelines of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei on maritime supremacy.
Bagheri noted that the national Navy Day manifests lasting acts of bravery of the Iranian naval forces in the face of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein at one of the most sensitive junctures of the Sacred Defense.
The Iranian naval forces have succeeded in dealing heavy blows to the enemy’s navy and defending the country’s territorial integrity, he said. 
Iran’s navy has in recent years achieved self-sufficiency in manufacturing surface and sub-surface vessels. It has also increased its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers.
The Iranian naval forces have also staged military drills with different countries, including Russia, China and Pakistan, over the past years to promote their combat readiness.
They have been involved in joint efforts aimed at countering piracy and maritime terrorism, exchanging information in naval rescue and relief operations as well as sharing operational and tactical experience to enhance the security and stability of international maritime trade.