TEHRAN, Jan. 26 (MNA) � Iran�s Navy commander announced the final stage of the large-scale naval maneuver codenamed �Velayat 94� will be launched on Wednesday.


Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari in a Tuesday press conference said the massive naval war game codenamed �Velayat 94� will cover an area as extensive as three million square kilometers in Eastern part of Hormuz Strait, the Gulf of Oman and northern Indian Ocean to the 10th parallel north.

�The war game has been going on�since 21 January, and the forces have been deployed to their positions and will begin their tactical maneuver on Wednesday,� said Sayyri, noting various kinds of missiles will be launched at the final stage and the war game will wrap up with a naval parade.

The Navy Commander said the objective of Velayat 94 war game is to demonstrate the capability and authority of Iran in maintaining security in the seas.

�The navy�s selected units including submarines, destroyers, missile cruisers, auxiliary cruisers, marine brigadiers, electronic warfare, health and intelligence units are participating in the drill,� he said.

Sayyari noted the significance of the Indian Ocean for transferring�goods and energy, saying �full security must be maintained in this region, otherwise pirating activities would also happen in this area as they are happening in the Gulf of Aden.�

Admiral Sayyari further added that Iran�s navy has escorted 3000 trade ships in the past eight years and rescued 25 vessels of various countries from the clutches of pirates.

�In this war game, we will exercise how to maintain security in the northern part of the Indian Ocean,� he said.

By Mehr News Agency