TEHRAN- Following a protracted mission in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, the 94th flotilla of warships of the Iranian Navy has reached the territorial seas.

Amid tensions heightened by foreign intervention in the region, the Islamic Republic is increasing its naval presence in the high seas.

After traversing more than 12,000 kilometers of maritime channels over the course of 91 days, the flotilla, headed by the frigate Alborz, reached the Islamic Republic’s territorial seas on Saturday.

Rear Admiral Farhad Fattahi, deputy commander of the First Naval Region of the Iranian Navy, praised the presence of Iranian flotillas in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at a welcoming ceremony held in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas.

The commander went on to note that the naval deployment protects Iran’s national interests and acts as a source of pride for the Iranian people.

Captain Ali Khazaei, commander of the Iranian Navy’s 94th flotilla, stated that Iranian marines followed the guidelines established by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei for the protection of Iran’s interests and assets on the high seas, and raised the Islamic Republic’s flag in international waters.

On January 1, the Alborz frigate went through the critical Bab el-Mandeb Strait into the Red Sea.

The Iranian Navy has dispatched the Alvand destroyer to the Red Sea as part of a flotilla that conducts regular deployments in international seas.

The flotilla, led by Alborz frigate, entered the territorial waters of the Islamic Republic on Saturday, after sailing more than 12,000 kilometers of sea routes in 91 days.

In recent years, Iran’s Navy has become self-sufficient in the production of surface and subsurface boats. It has also strengthened its presence in international waterways to safeguard naval channels and protect commercial ships and tankers.

Ayatollah Khamenei stated in August 2023 that the Navy’s presence in faraway seas such as the Pacific and Atlantic oceans benefits national security.

The Leader added that “the United States and other superpowers monopolize general issues about mankind. If they could, those powers would even claim the seas in their name so that others would not have access to the natural resources.”

Last year, Iran’s 86th Naval Fleet, which included the home-built Dena Destroyer, came home after the first round of the world in a mission dubbed “360-Degree”.

The flotilla completed a lengthy cruise around the world and sailed across the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans without needing assistance from land for the first time in Iran’s naval history.

On September 20, 2022, it departed from Bandar Abbas, a port city on the Persian Gulf. It finally anchored at Oman’s Salalah harbor on the 236th day of its journey. The flotilla traveled 63,000 kilometers and four times crossed the equator.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said that the fleet earned another award at the international level by undertaking a lengthy journey around the globe.

Nasser Kanaani said the flotilla made a round-the-world tour with all-Iranian warships, Dena and Makran vessels, and brought about another honor on the international stage for the first time in the country’s history.

The Dena destroyer and Makran forward base ship are part of the Iranian flotilla. Dena is a Mowj-class warship that joined the Iranian Navy in June 2021.

The military vessel is outfitted with anti-ship cruise missiles, torpedoes and naval cannons.

Makran, a forward base ship weighing 121,000 tons, is the other vessel in the flotilla. The oil tanker that was converted into a warship is used to support the combat vessels logistically and can carry five helicopters.