Video-Iran ready to defend sovereignty: Adm.

Iran’s military maneuvers in the Strait of Hormuz shows that the country is ready to defend itself against any attack, a top Iranian military official told Press TV.

“These drills were designed to send two clear messages. We want to tell the rest of the Persian Gulf littoral states that regional security can only be ensured through regional cooperation,” Iran’s Navy Deputy Commander Admiral Amir Rastegari said on the final day of the drills.

“We also wanted to send this message to certain powers that Iran is always prepared to defend itself against foreign aggression,” he said on Monday.

On December 24, Iran’s Navy launched the massive 10-day exercise, covering an area stretching from the east of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Aden.

Iran’s Navy test-fired a number of medium-range and long-range missiles in the final stage of the naval drills.

On Sunday, Iran’s first home-built medium-range anti-radar missile, Mehrab, was successfully test-fired. The missile took 12 years and 1.5 million dollars to make.

“This new missile has been designed and manufactured in cooperation with the Research and Development Department of Iran’s Navy and the Defense Ministry,” Admiral Rastegari said.

“I can say with confidence that Iran is now among the few countries that has these high-tech missiles. This new weapon can lock up on any flying object, evade radar and even target any source that might try to be intercepted in mid-air,” he added.

Iran’s Navy officials said they planned to stage similar drills in the future.