TEHRAN- A top military adviser to Leader of the Islamic Revolution has averred a new plan to strengthen Iran’s naval force and presence in international waterways, advocating for strong maritime cooperation with China and Russia.

Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi said on Saturday that it would be impossible to define the position of Iran, the Islamic Revolution, and the resistance front in the “geometry of the new world order” without a strong presence in the high seas.

“In order to counter the cruel sanctions imposed by the U.S. and its allies, Iran must promote the strategy of sea-oriented economy and boost its maritime power with the presence of its trade and military fleet in the oceans and seas and by using the network of South-North and East to West corridors in cooperation with the Russian Federation and China,” Safavi said during a meeting of a council tasked to formulate policies for a national conference on maritime threats and opportunities.

He continued by saying that Iran’s presence in the Antarctic for research and scientific endeavors is a must for the country to become a maritime power.

“We need to connect the maritime and ground geostrategic domains. This is a new strategy as Iran’s geographical location gives us such a capacity,” added Safavi, the former IRGC commander. 

In a meeting with a number of Navy commanders and officials in November 2022, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized the importance of the Navy’s presence in international seas.

The Leader also stressed the need for the navy to improve its combat capabilities, defense equipment and continue to navigate in distant and foreign waters.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said on Friday that military cooperation between Iran and Russia will not succumb to geopolitical pressure.

“There are no changes, and cooperation with Iran will continue,” Ryabkov was quoted as saying by Russian state news agency RIA, according to Reuters. “We are independent states and do not succumb to the dictates of the United States and its satellites.”

Back in August, General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of the joint staff of Iran’s armed forces, said Russia and China are standing up to the West.

He noted that China is seeking to boost its military with the aim of confronting the United States. 

Underlining that the arrogant powers seek to maintain a unipolar world order, General Bagheri said, “American power is declining. Today, Russia is standing against the expansionism of the North Atlantic Treaty, and China is also seeking to strengthen its military power to confront the United States.”

He added, “All this shows the decline of American power. Also, international unions such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS have shown their power in the world.”