Iran Navy watchful of foreign movements in waters south of country: Cmdr.

Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari says the Iranian naval forces are fully monitoring all the movements of the foreign forces in the international waters south of the country.

“We monitor, within the jurisdiction of the Navy, all the movements of the regional and extra-regional forces on a 100-percent level. It means that there is not a single moment when we do not know where a certain warship of a certain country is,” Sayyari said in an interview with Fars news agency on Wednesday.

He added that the Iranian Navy monitors the movements using different methods and military equipment, including vessels, submarines, and manned and unmanned aircraft.

He also said that Iran planned to extend its presence in the international waters and added the Navy intended to deploy forces to the Atlantic Ocean.

Iran’s Navy has been increasing its naval presence in the international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for Iranian merchant vessels and tankers.

In line with international efforts against piracy, the Iranian Navy has been conducting patrols in the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden since November 2008 in order to safeguard merchant containers and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran or other countries.