TEHRAN (FNA)- Commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi announced the country's plans to dispatch a flotilla of warships to the Atlantic Ocean and launch a new home-made submarine in the near future.
"God willing, this mission (to Atlantic Ocean) will start soon. Presence in free waters is possible for all nations and any nation which enjoys naval power can be present in free waters," Rear Admiral Khanzadi told reporters in Tehran on Saturday.
He also said that Fateh submarine which is the first mid-class submarine built by Iran would join the Navy on January 29, expressing the hope that Damavand destroyer will be reconstructed and launched by the end of this (Iranian) year (March 20).
In relevant remarks in November, another senior Iranian commander said that Iran's naval fleet would continue its presence in the high seas to protect the country's national interests, adding that the country was mulling over dispatching its fleets to the Atlantic Ocean.
Iranian Army's Deputy Commander for Operations Rear Admiral Mahmoud Moussavi made the remarks, adding that Iran had a strong Navy, which should consistently maintain its presence in the high seas; otherwise, others would take advantage of its absence.
In recent years, Iran’s Navy has increased its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers.
In line with international efforts against piracy, the Iranian Navy has been conducting patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008, safeguarding merchant containers and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran or other countries.
Iran’s Navy has managed to foil several attacks on both Iranian and foreign tankers during its missions in international waters.