Speaking at the 6th Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), which kicked off in Tehran Monday morning with participation of 35 high-ranking military delegations from across the world, Rear Admiral Sayyari said the event indicated the power of Iran’s naval forces, adding that the Iranian Navy is now operating in international waters including the Indian ocean.
Sayyari added “the world has now accepted Iranian naval forces’ status as an international force as the Iranians have proven themselves to the world.”
In response to a question on whether countries bordering the Indian Ocean would also hold naval drills, Deputy Coordinator of the Iranian Army, Rear Admiral Sayyari, said: "At this conference, the necessary actions to increase cooperation and coordination as well as fighting terrorism, especially in the Indian Ocean, will be decided upon, though no decision will be made on naval drills.”
Sayyari reminded a search and rescue naval drill was recently held in Bangladesh.
