IRNA � Navy Drills staged in southern Iran aims to convey the message of peace and friendship to the regional countries, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said on Sunday.


Major naval drills (entitled Velayat 95) began early on Sunday in an area covering two million square kilometers in Iranian southern port city of Bandar Abbas.

Establishment of security in northern part of the Strait of Hormuz, Oman Sea, Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Aden and Bab el-Mandeb Strait are among the goals of the naval drills, Sayyari said.

The maneuvers also aim to fight the threat of terrorism and pirates to secure a save shipment for trade vessels and oil tankers, the commander added.