Noshahr, Mazandaran prov, Sept 1, IRNA - Iran's Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said in this northern province on Thursday that the navy forces have escorted some 3,200 merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden in recent years.

Speaking in a local gathering, Sayyari underscored that the Iranian Navy has expanded its operational zone in Makran coastline and the southeastern port city of Chabahar in 10-degree latitude based on valuable guidelines of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.

Referring to Iran's history-long experiences in sailing, Sayyari reiterated that the colonial countries have always been trying to prevent the Iranian people from gaining access to the costal areas in the past 130 years.

With an aim to attain their illegal interests in Iran, he said, the colonial countries have always tried to station themselves in the Persian Gulf, destroy the Iranian ports and scare people away from coastal areas.

Touching upon Iran's geographical position, he added the Islamic Republic enjoys the best geopolitical situation and mineral resources.

In recent years, Iran�s Navy has increased its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers.

In line with international efforts against piracy, the Iranian Navy has also been conducting patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 in order to protect merchant containers and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran or other countries.

Iran�s Navy has managed to foil several attacks on Iranian or foreign tankers during its missions in international waters.

By IRNA