TEHRAN— Admiral Shahram Irani, the Navy chief, said on Tuesday that Iran is now is able to navigating all seas.

Speaking at a press conference, Irani described the mission of the 75th Najaf fleet to the northern Indian Ocean and St. Petersburg as “the biggest and most historical naval mission.”
He added that the navy fleet consists of Sahand destroyers.

The mission was completed with power and success by traveling about 45,000 kilometers in the oceans and facing the harsh nature of the oceans and it safely returned to the homeland, Irani explained.

He added, “Demonstrating self-confidence and capability of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the world arena was important in this mission. For those who never believed in the ability of the children of Iran, they now believe in this ability.”

The biggest challenge for the fleet was to prove its self-confidence. On the other hand, Irani emphasized, this mission sent glimpses of hope for the friends of Iran and created this chance that they can use this naval capacity in a desirable way.

The Navy commander added crossing 55 countries on three continents was aimed to send a message of peace and friendship to the world. 

"Iranians have always been preachers of peace and friendship and have not attacked any country…,” the admiral remarked.

The commander went on to say that this mission took place despite harsh economic sanctions and military threats against the Islamic Republic.

“The conditions imposed on us show that sanctions and threats never work against the Iranians and that we can overcome great obstacles by relying on our own strength,” he underlined.

Irani highlighted that the fleet is the result of the experiences that Iran has gained since 2009. 

The admiral explained the missions that the Iranian Navy have carried out.

“Apart from the Indian Ocean, we went to the direction of the China Sea and attended that region with Sabalan destroyer. Then we attended the Mediterranean Sea bypassing the Suez Canal. Then we took another step and went to the Cape of Good Hope. And in 20121 we honorably passed through three oceans and participated in the parade of the Russian Navy,” he explained.

The admiral added the naval mission provided security for maritime commerce both for Iran and others.

"We did not establish security only for our own economic purposes. Others also took advantage of it, and we can say that we also gave security to others," the Navy commander said.

He also said that today, Iran can exercise authority in all open seas whenever an order is issued. 

The admiral further said localization of propellants is important for Iran. 

“Soon we will see the construction of the first all-Iranian propellants that help all units in the sea,” Irani underlined.

When asked about the challenges facing the 75th fleet, the Navy chief said that the biggest challenge for the fleet was to prove its self-confidence. 

“We are the only country that provides our maritime security singlehandedly, and this group of ships continued its journey without seeking help from any country,” he pointed out. 

Irani underscored that Iran did not need any port along the way, even to meet technical needs. 

“The enemy's attention on our fleet was more to see if we were breaking the rules or not, thank God we did not break any rules and we were able to cross three important canals and eight straits safely,” the Navy chief highlighted. 

Irani added that one of Iran’s plans is to hold combined exercises with other countries.

“We conduct relief and rescue exercises with Oman every two years, and we seek to hold better exercises by inviting more countries,” Admiral Irani concluded.