Iran's Naval Drill Starts, Foreign Media Begin Negative Propaganda

Bandar Abbas, Dec 29, IRNA -- Simultaneously with beginning of Iran's Navy's Naval Drill Velayat '91 on Friday some western, or pro-West media began negative propagation against Iran, aimed at misleading world public opinion. The affiliated media to the global oppression that move in line with the interests of the oppressor powers and particularly the racist Zionist regime in the strategic Persian Gulf region, totally ignoring the Iranian naval drill's announced motto of sending the message of 'Peace, Friendship and Regional Security', have tried to aggrandize the merely military aspects of the drills, aimed at considering it a threat against the regional countries. The British Reuters news agency in a goal-oriented report titled 'Iran starts navy drills in Strait of Hormuz' focuses on the sensitivity of the strategic Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz as the waterway where some 50% of the industrial world's fuel passes, arguing that Iran might under certain conditions block the strategic strait. The Reuters writes' 'Iranian officials have often said Iran could block the strait - through which 40 percent of the world's sea-borne oil exports pass - if it came under military attack over its disputed nuclear program. 'Iran held a similar 10-day drill last December and sent a submarine and a destroyer into the Gulf four months ago just as US and allied navies were conducting exercises in the same waters to practice keeping oil shipping lanes open. 'Sayyari was quoted as saying on Tuesday that the new drill would test the navy's missile systems, combat ships, submarines and patrol and reconnaissance methods. 'A heavy Western naval presence in the Gulf is meant to deter any attempt to block the waterway.' The Reuters is thus after telling everyone that the Velayat '91 Naval Drills are a serious threat against Iran's southern neighbors on the other side of the Persian Gulf. By referring to the massive presence of the western countries' naval forces in the Persian Gulf the Reuters terms their occupational presence as a deterrent presence aimed at blocking the way for any intention to block the Strait of Hormuz! The internet website of the Zionist daily Jerusalem Post, too, has published the same contents of Reuters on Velayat '91 Naval Drills. The internet website of the American Fox News, too, broadcasting the news on the beginning of Iran's Velayat '91 Naval Drills focuses on the West's phony claims on Iran's peaceful nuclear program, linking the drills with the issue of some western threats against Iran. Fox news writes: 'The missile, called Ghader (referring to Iran's Qadir missiles), or Capable in Farsi, was described as an upgraded version of a missile that has been in service before. IRNA said the missile 'successfully hit its intended target' during the drill. 'The Ghader missile is said to have a range of 120 miles, which is generally considered medium-range or even short-range for a cruise missile, even though IRNA described it as 'long-range.' 'An earlier version of the same cruise missile had a range of 124 miles 200 kilometers and could travel at low altitudes. There were suggestions it could counter the US naval presence in the Persian Gulf. 'Iran's navy drill, which could bring its ships into proximity with US Navy vessels that operate in the same area, is Iran's latest show of strength in the face of mounting international criticism over its nuclear program. 'The 10-day exercise comes amid conflicting comments from Iranian officials over Tehran's intentions to close the Strait of Hormuz, and US warnings against such an ominous move.' Al-Jazeera news network, too, in a report on the Iranian navy drills, talks about the posed threats by Iran for closing the Strait of Hormuz, refers to the drills a part of which takes place in that strait. Al-Jazeera writes: 'The drills come as the West increases its pressure over Iran's nuclear program. The West suspects it may be aimed at producing nuclear weapons, a charge Iran denies. 'Iranian officials have often said Iran could block the strait - through which 40 percent of the world's sea-borne oil exports pass - if it came under military attack over its disputed nuclear program. 'Iran held a similar 10-day drill last December and sent a submarine and a destroyer into the Gulf four months ago just as 'US and allied navies were conducting exercises in the same waters to practice keeping oil shipping lanes open. 'Sayyari was quoted as saying on Tuesday that the new drill would test the navy's missile systems, combat ships, submarines and patrol and reconnaissance methods. 'A heavy Western naval presence in the Gulf is meant to deter any attempt to block the waterway.' Some other Arab media, too, referring to the Tuesday session of some Persian Gulf heads of states in Bahrain's capital city, Manama, and posing the baseless claim of Iran's interference in internal affairs of those countries, have somehow tried to link that PGCC Summit meeting with Iran's naval drills. The continuation of the naval drills in the upcoming days and putting on display of the defensive might of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy in the next phases of the drills it is expected that the foreign media would present various more reports and analyses on this major defensive military practice of Iran. The Islamic Republic of Iran has always emphasized the need for safeguarding peace and security in the sensitive and strategic Persian Gulf region by the regional countries, believing that the region's security cannot be ensured by alien forces. According to political and military affairs analysts, the presence of the ever since the alien forces naval forces' presence in the waters of the Persian Gulf and so long as the military presence of the foreign forces in the region would continue, expectation of establishment of full security in the region would be merely a dream for the entire regional nations. The spokesman of the highly expertise Velayat '91 Naval Drills, too, said in interview with the dispatched IRNA reporter on the sidelines of the 1st day of the drills, 'The main objective of holding these drills is maintaining the defense readiness of the Navy for confronting any possible threat of the enemy and sending the message of peace and friendship for the regional countries. Admiral Amir Rastegari added, 'In Phase One of the Velayat '91 Naval Drills the supposedly invading forces' warships (orange color), including the heavy surface vessels and their submarines, after penetration into the entrance passages and aiming to invade the Iranian mainland, face the Iranian forces (blue color) as they were approaching the Sea of Oman and the Persian Gulf waters, but they had ignored the fact that the Iranian forces relying on their precise information and second by second navigation had been fully aware of their movements.' Admiral Rastegari pointing out that the Iranian forces appropriate with the movements of the invading forces resort to and implement modern and innovative tactics, reiterating, 'The 23rd Fleet of Iran's Navy, comprised of Jamaran Destroyer and the Bushehr helicopter carrier, which are on a foreign mission patrolling the Bab el-Mandab Strait and the surrounding free waters of that strait monitor the entire movements and acts of the invading force and dispatch the related information to the naval drills' headquarters.' He added, 'This naval drill is held at the Strait of Hormuz, the Oman Sea, and north of the Indian Ocean up to 18 degrees north, at an area which is over one million square kilometers vast for a tend day period.' The Velayat '91 Naval Drill started on Friday morning, December 28th with the secret code 'Ya Hossein (A)' (O Hussain – P) of the Commander of IRI Navy Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari in an area between the Strait of Hormuz and 18 degrees to the north of the Indian Ocean./end