Iran to be present in int'l waters: navy commander

Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said Sunday that Iran has the undeniable right to be actively present in international waters, the local satellite Press TV reported.

"Based on international law, presence in international waters is the indisputable right of Iran and no country can deprive it of this right," Sayyari was quoted as saying at a ceremony held to mark the first international mission of Iran's domestically-built Jamaran destroyer on Sunday.

Iran's 16th fleet of warships, which include domestically-built Jamaran destroyer and the Bandar Abbas frigate, left for the Gulf of Aden on Sunday in line with efforts to provide security for Iranian trade vessels, said Press TV.

The 1,420-ton destroyer is equipped with modern radars and electronic warfare capabilities. It has a top speed of up to 30 knots and has a helipad. It also features highly advanced anti- aircraft, anti-surface and anti-subsurface systems and is equipped with torpedoes and naval cannons.

The Iranian commander emphasized that the Islamic republic will not carry out an act of aggression against any country but vowed to resist the enemies.

On Sunday, he said that "presence in the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal, south of the Indian Ocean and in international waters is at the top of the Navy's agenda," and that Iranian warships would be equipped with long-range anti-ship cruise missiles.

Source: XINHUA