TEHRAN – Iran’s navy will soon launch its most advanced destroyer, Sahand, as the third home-grown watercraft, its commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said on Saturday.

“We will unveil Sahand destroyer in the near future,” Sayyari stated in a live TV program aired on Saturday night.

He noted that following the Supreme Leader’s order to build watercraft destroyers nearly 19 years ago, the navy started working on developing such warships.

“Our first destroyer, called Jamaran, joined the navy in the [Persian] year 1388 (2009),” he said. “After that, our second destroyer, Damavand, joined the naval fleet in the Caspian Sea last year (March 2015-March 2016), and God willing, Sahand will be unveiled in the near future.”

The top commander described Sahand as the most advanced destroyer ever built by the country, saying that the navy has made great progress in building the new watercraft and managed to make it more capable of carrying helicopters.

He also said that the navy holds nearly 25 drills each year, adding that all of the naval achievements will be once again showcased during the concluding war game, dubbed Velayat, which takes place at the end of the Persian year, which ends on March 20.

The commander’s announcement comes as the final stage of this year’s concluding naval drills, codenamed Velayat 95, has started in the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman and north of the Indian Ocean.

During the drills, different naval units, including submarine missile-launching destroyers, surface and subsurface units, missile and electronic warfare systems, drones, fighter jets and marines are used.

Velayat 95, which covers an area of 2 million square kilometers, started on February 13 and will continue until March 1.

Iran’s Armed Forces hold military exercises regularly throughout the year. The country’s officials say the drills are intended to act as a deterrent to enemies.

Earlier this month, Sayyari said Iran has never planned aggression against any country, stressing that the Islamic Republic is determined to boost its military power, which as he stated, is of defensive nature.

“Our strategy and doctrine is enhancement of defense power based on deterrence and we are not and will not at all think about aggression against others,” he was quoted by Fars news agency as saying. “But if a country thinks of aggression against Iran, it will receive such a response that will make it regret its deeds.”

He also said Iran’s defensive capability is conducive to security in the region.

MH/PA