TEHRAN -- The Iranian Navy’s 74th flotilla of warships has returned to the country’s territorial waters at the southeastern port of Chabahar after sailing in international waters for 91 days.
The flotilla, comprised of Shaheed Naqdi destroyer and Tunb logistical warship, which had been dispatched to the Gulf of Aden and Bab el-Mandeb Strait, arrived in Chabahar port on Saturday after successfully conducting its mission in international waters, Press TV reported.
It managed to sail some 14,500 nautical miles, about 29,000 kilometers.
Addressing a ceremony to welcome the fleet, Commander of the Third Naval Zone of Iran’s Navy Rear Admiral Mostafa Tajoddini said the committed and specialist naval forces can easily overcome any problem and obstacle.
He added that the Iranian Navy is now the forerunner of the battle against the enemies’ threats beyond the borders.
The commander noted that the naval forces play an influential role in safeguarding the country’s interests and economic resources, saying the presence of Iranian flotilla in international waters conveys a message of peace and friendship to all world countries.
Over the past few years, Iran’s Navy has increased its presence in high seas to safeguard naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers.
Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hussein Khanzadi said in April that the enemies of Iran do not dare violate the country’s territorial waters thanks to the powerful presence of the naval forces of the Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in international waters.
In October, the Navy said that the naval forces of Iran’s Army and the IRGC had formed a strong “defense chain” from the north of the Persian Gulf to the Northern Indian Ocean, which stands ready to respond to any threat and act of aggression against the country.
Iran has repeatedly assured other countries that its military might poses no threat to other states, insisting that its defense doctrine is entirely based on deterrence.