Iran's peace-seeking naval patrols in int’l waters to continue: Sayyari

Peace-seeking naval patrol of Iranian naval ships would continue in international waters, Commander of Islamic Republic of Iran Navy Rear Admiral Emir Habibollah Sayyari said on Wednesday, IRNA reported. He made the remarks in a meeting with Omani Royal Navy Commander Rear Admiral Abdullah bin-Khamis bin-Abdullah al-Raisi. "Iranian naval ships have peaceful purposes and carry the message of peace and security for regional countries," Sayyari added. Iranian navy commander noted that the naval ships will leave the Saudi port city of Jeddah to Omani Salalah Port in March. "Iran is ready to hold joint naval exercises with the neighboring countries including Oman; Iran's navy invites the Omani Royal Navy to visit Iranian ports including Bandar Abbas; Tehran is ready for expansion of relations with Muscat in various fields including the defense filed," he underlined. The supply ship Kharg and Shahid Naghdi, a destroyer, docked in the Red Sea port in line with orders from Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Navy Commander Admiral Habibollah Sayari as saying. 'This mission aims to show the power of the Islamic republic of Iran on the open seas and to confront Iranophobia,' he said, adding that the mission started several days ago and would last 70 to 80 days. Rear Admiral bin-Khamis bin-Abdullah al-Raisi for his part, welcomed Iranian navy invitation and Iranian navy visit to the country's ports on March and in the meantime, expansion of relations between the two countries. Rear Admiral Sayyari and Rear Admiral bin-Khamis bin-Abdullah al-Raisi met and conferred at the Islamic Republic Iranian Navy Headquarters on issues of mutual concern, particularly on the two countries' joint defense cooperation. The Commander of the Oman Royal Navy and his accompanying delegation who arrived in Tehran on Monday morning during their stay in the Islamic Republic of Iran visited various units of the IRI Navy in Bandar Abbas (port) in the south and Noshahr in the north. Commander of the Oman Royal Navy and his accompanying delegation after visiting District One of the Islamic Iranian Navy in Bandar Abbas attended a gathering IRI Navy commanders on the deck of the Iranian-made Jamaran Destroyer and visited the various parts of that destroyer, after which accompanied by their high ranking Iranian naval hosts, they also visited the Iranian Navy's Naval Facilities Manufacturing Workshops and the IRI Floating Objects Repair Shops. Iran Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ramin Mehmanparast also welcomed Saudi Arabia's cooperation proposal with Iranian Navy's fleet of warships. Iranian naval ships docked on February 4 in the Saudi port city of Jeddah on a mission to project the Islamic republic's 'power on the open seas. Iran's navy has been boosting its presence in international waters since last year, deploying vessels in the Indian Ocean and Gulf of Aden on missions to protect Iranian ships from Somali pirates. According to UN Security Council resolutions, different countries can send their warships to the Gulf of Aden and coastal waters of Somalia against the pirates and even with prior notice to Somali government enter the territorial waters of that country in pursuit of Somali sea pirates. The Gulf of Aden - which links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea - is an important energy corridor, particularly because Persian Gulf oil is shipped to the West through the Suez Canal. Tehran also sent two ships into the Mediterranean for the first time in February 2011 through the Suez Canal.