Navy Commander: Iran to Continue Enhancement of Defense Power Regardless of Foreign Pressures

“We don’t care for the words made by the foreigners about our drills and increasing defense power, and we only act upon the orders of the commander-in-chief (Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei),” Sayyari told reporters in the Southern port city of Bandar Abbas on Saturday on the sidelines of a ceremony to welcome the Navy’s 38th fleet of warships after 75 days of deployment in international waters.

He also downplayed the impacts of the sanctions against Iran, and said Iranian experts have built different weapons and military equipment, including three Jamaran, Damavand and Sahand destroyers, under the same embargos.

In relevant remarks last month, Sayyari announced the country’s plans to further bolster its naval power in the new Iranian year (started on March 20).

“We are after increasing our military and combat power by training human resources in the new year,” Sayyari said, addressing a ceremony in the Southern city of Khorramshahr.

He also said that upon an order of Ayatollah Khamenei, building different state-of-the-art weapons and equipment as well as continued deployment in the international waters are also on the Iranian Navy’s agenda.

Also in March, Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Gholam Reza Khadem Biqam announced that Iran is moving ahead with a large scale navy modernization program for wider presence in the high seas.

Speaking to FNA in the Northern city of Rasht, Khadem Bigham said the new warships will be self-sufficient, bigger, and equipped with the latest state-of-the-art technology.

“Iran plans to improve its naval resources in order to have a bigger presence in international waters,” he added.

Khadem Biqam further said Iran’s strong presence in the North and West of the Indian Ocean is in line with the country’s plans to help improve international peace and security.