The visit marked the second day of the Pakistani Peace and Friendship fleet’s tour of Iran.

Rear Admiral Farhad Fattahi, Deputy of the Iranian Navy’s First Imamate Zone, accompanied the Pakistani fleet to the martyrs’ cemetery, where they offered prayers of remembrance. The gesture underscored the strong bonds of friendship between the two nations.

Earlier on Saturday, the two-warship Pakistani fleet arrived in Bandar Abbas, marking the commencement of a three-day visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and promoting educational exchanges between the respective navies.

During their stay, the Pakistani naval officers will engage in meetings with Iranian Navy commanders, explore the city’s tourist attractions and cultural landmarks, and witness the bustling commercial hubs of Bandar Abbas.

Beyond cultural and diplomatic engagements, Iran and Pakistan intend to collaborate on maritime affairs, exploring strategic defense and security issues to safeguard the tranquility of maritime regions. A joint naval combat exercise is planned to be conducted in the waters of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

This visit further solidifies the longstanding ties between Iran and Pakistan, fostering mutual respect and understanding amidst a shared aspiration for regional peace and stability.

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The military exercises spanned the Iranian islands of Abu Musa, Naze’at, the Greater Tunb, and the Lesser Tunb islands.

The purpose of the naval war game, named after late IRGC General ‘Eshaq Dara’, is to “display the IRGC Navy’s might as well as combat and defense preparedness in protecting the Persian Gulf security and the Iranian islands”, the IRGC said, according to Tasnim.

Various units of the IRGC Navy, including the combat, naval, missile, drone, rapid reaction, electronic warfare and airborne units, backed by the IRGC Aerospace Force, exercise a range of military tactics in the war game.

The IRGC has deployed the ‘Fath’ and ‘Qadir’ missile systems on the Iranian islands, including Abu Musa.

An IRGC Navy commander said the vessels of ‘Hojaji Special Unit’ have been, for the first time, furnished with missiles with a range of 600 kilometers to ensure the security of Abu Musa and the other Iranian islands.

The IRGC Navy has also employed missile-launching speedboats that reach a velocity of 90 knots, unmanned aerial vehicles, artificial intelligence-powered remotely operated naval vessels, amphibious aircraft, and precision-strike naval ballistic missiles in the exercise.

Also, drones and saildrones equipped with Artificial Intelligence were employed in the exercises, according to IRNA.

IRGC chief commander General Hossein Salami, and IRGC Navy commander General Alireza Tangsiri attended the kick-off ceremony of the drills on Abu Musa.
General Salami also delivered remarks at the ceremony. He said as long as the hands of the Iranian troops are on the trigger, the country is safe. He also underlined the importance of Iran’s territorial integrity.

He said Iran attaches high importance to its borders and independence.

General Tangsiri also underlined the importance of the Persian Gulf islands, saying they are Iran’s honor.

“The Persian Gulf islands are the honor of the great Islamic nation of Iran and we, the children of this zealous nation are obliged to defend our honors,” Tangsiri said.

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He also mentioned that his forces will embark on a special mission during the current Persian calendar year, which ends on March 20, 2023.

According to Admiral Irani, the operation will undoubtedly take place this year, but the precise timing would rely on planning by the Navy headquarters.

The admiral stated that given the need for the Navy to be present in oceans, it is planning to build a number of ships that will act as floating bases for the Navy.

Such ships must be manufactured, he said, and possibly they will be.

“The Navy displays new gear on certain occasions, such as the 10-day Dawn that commemorates the Islamic Revolution’s victory, and a ship that is going to be unveiled is a base ship like Makran,” he stated.

Back in June, the rear admiral also stressed the readiness of his forces to deploy in international waters to protect Iran’s interests.

In an event to recognize World Maritime Day, he highlighted “Iranian Army Navy forces are present in any ocean if needed.”

He said Iran’s naval forces are present in the Indian Ocean to maintain peace and security, citing the direct and indirect escort of cargo ships by the nation’s naval destroyers.

“The country’s Navy forces are ready to counter any foreign danger powerfully,” Irani highlighted.

He reaffirmed that Iranians want peace and do not want conflict unless their opponents intend to endanger the nation’s security.

Iranian Navy troops would retaliate forcefully to any opponents who pose a danger to the nation’s security, Admiral Irani warned.

Also in late February, the Navy chief stressed that his forces will firmly stand up against enemies and give a rigid response to any threat and wrong move against the country’s territorial waters. At the time, he asserted that trans-regional states are unable to bring security and peace to the people of the region.

“Our resources and interests in the sea are highly diverse, and our Navy is deployed everywhere we see a danger. No nation has dared enter Iran’s territorial waters because of the Iranian Navy’s dominance, presence, and ongoing monitoring in the seas and oceans,” the commander said.

According to its military doctrine, the Islamic Republic’s military power is only for self-defense and does not constitute a danger to other governments.

The armed forces of Iran are now completely self-sufficient in terms of armament owing to significant progress achieved by military specialists and technologists in the country.

Iran’s military capabilities, especially its drone and missile capacity, which are only intended for defense, will never be negotiable, according to Iranian authorities, who have emphasized this point over and over.

In response to the regional challenges, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Ashtiani recently outlined plans to upgrade and modernize the nation’s naval force.

“The Defense Ministry will update and furnish the naval fleet of the Armed Forces proportional to the needs of the Armed Forces and the regional threats across all territorial waters,” Ashtiani said, highlighting Iran’s geopolitical position in the region and the strategic significance of the Persian Gulf for the Islamic Republic.

The defense minister also said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran views the presence of foreigners and ultra-regional forces as the cause of insecurity in the area.”

“Peace and tranquility are our message to the area and the whole globe. On the other side, we think that with the presence and collaboration of all the regional nations, regional peace and stability would be possible,” the general underscored.

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Speaking on the sidelines of an IRGC award giving ceremony, Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri noted that over the past 3 years, the IRGC Navy has seen more 8 new military equipment.

Tangsiri considered one of the honors of the navy and the IRGC to be the use of domestic knowledge and products by Iranian scientists.

He continued, “Our navy is a completely strategic force and everything that exists in other forces is also at our disposal, from tanks and water tanks to fixed-wing aircraft and drones.”

Therefore, he added, the IRGC Navy has always tried to be in close communication and continuous cooperation with other forces and military units as well as the defense ministry in production of systems and equipment.

The IRGC Navy commander said when the Leader of the Islamic Revolution speaks of knowledge-based technology, the IRGC navy considers it to be its strategy and guidebook.

He then noted that the navy has always tried to use equipment built by knowledge-based companies.

Regarding the use of domestic equipment and empowering knowledge-based companies, Tangsiri said the navy under his command takes pride that its equipment is manufactured by knowledge-based companies.

“Some drones and quad copters that we use are actually built by knowledge-based companies and we have put this order of the Leader, who said to make knowledge-based companies more active, in front of our eyes and we are proud that this has always been done in the navy.”

Speaking on the recent stealth technology of the boats, Tangsiri stated that Iran equipped the hulls of its boats with stealth technology and is trying to use domestically made hulls.

He also said the effective presence of Iran in the region has caused the enemy to flee from the Persian Gulf.

“With the departure of the Americans, more security will be established in this sensitive and strategic area,” he remarked.

The IRGC navy commander underlined that the Americans have created problems for the people with their presence in the region over the past years, and the region has witnessed several collisions, such as an American submarine colliding with a Japanese ship or the targeting of an Emirati recreational ship by an American vessel that unfortunately killed an Indian.

“Americans do not follow maritime and navigation laws and, in general, their presence in the region is followed by harm and disruption of stability and security.”

Regarding the joining of the Shahid Soleimani ship to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps Navy, he said that hopefully, the navy will announce the news in the future.

“The Shahid Soleimani ship is a unique vessel with an intact hull, not a catamaran. We currently have manual, trimaran, and catamaran hulls, but this boat is with an intact hull, a hull that is completely new,” he elaborated.

In the end, Tangsiri noted that the Shahid Soleimani vessel which entered the organization after the martyrdom of Major General Qassem Soleimani is a reminder of this martyr in the oceans and his constant presence among the sailors of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps.

“The Shahid Soleimani ship is a unique vessel with an intact hull, not a catamaran. We currently have manual, trimaran, and catamaran hulls, but this boat is with an intact hull, a hull that is completely new.”

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Such missiles will be capable of targeting mobile vessels, Salami said while touring Persian Gulf islands.

According to Salami, the IRGC navy now has missiles with ranges of 35, 90, 300 and 700 kilometers.

He also said the IRGC navy has made significant progresses in areas of navigation in recent years. For example, he said, now the speed of boats has reached about 100 knots, which is important in terms of speed in navigation industry.

The senior general went on to say that the IRGC navy now has hundreds of different kinds of drones for different purposes, such as reconnaissance, surveillance, combat and suicide.

Now the UAVs used by the force has the capability to fly 1200 kilometers, he said, adding the range of these drones are being increased.

The major general also said in the field of electronic warfare systems, data collection systems, jammers, and offensive and defensive systems, good steps have been taken by the IRGC navy.

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“We will respond to any threat and naval action of the enemies strongly and overwhelmingly,” Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said in an interview with Tasnim published on Saturday.

Talking to the Tasnim reporter in Sanandaj, capital of Kurdistan province, he said the Navy maintains security at maritime borders.

“The navy is present at the sea 24 round-the-clock to restore sustainable security,” he insisted.

The Navy chief also said the personnel of the Iranian warships are from different ethnic groups.

“It does not matter where these people are from, because our round-the-clock efforts and strategy is that all together, we should preserve the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the best possible way and with high authority.”

The top military official said the friends and foes have reached the conclusion that the Iranian Armed Forces are unitedly standing against the enemies, insisting, “We will respond to any threat and action firmly, and decisively.”

Highlighting that the Navy personnel have been standing firm, Admiral Irani said they will keep hoisting the Iranian flag proudly in international waters.

“Although the Islamic Republic of Iran has always faced sanctions, conspiracy and threats, with the powerful presence of the navy personnel at sea, and the production of the best and most up-to-date equipment by the country’s youth, we have controlled the enemies’ mischief,” the military official remarked.

Admiral Irani, elsewhere in his remarks, stated that that the people of Kurdistan province always played an important role in guarding national borders.

“The locals living in border areas always protect the borders with a revolutionary spirit, properly and with authority,” said Irani, an ethnic Sunni Kurd.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei named Irani as Navy chief on August 17. His appointment won the praise of the Kurdish caucus in the parliament.

In remarks on September 8, the admiral said Iran is now able to navigating all open seas.

Speaking at a press conference, Irani described the mission of the 75th Navy fleet to the northern Indian Ocean and St. Petersburg as “the biggest and most historical naval mission.”

He was speaking of the Navy fleet that consisted of Sahand destroyers.

The mission was completed with power and success by traveling about 45,000 kilometers in the oceans and facing the harsh nature of the oceans and it safely returned to the homeland, Irani explained.

“Demonstrating self-confidence and capability of the Islamic Republic of Iran at global arena was important in this mission. For those who never believed in the ability of the children of Iran, they now believe in this ability,” he explained at the time.

On the other hand, Irani emphasized, this mission sent glimpses of hope for the friends of Iran and created this chance that they can use this naval capacity in a desirable way.

The Navy commander added crossing 55 countries on three continents was aimed to send a “message of peace and friendship” to the world.

“Iranians have always been preachers of peace and friendship and have not attacked any country…,” the admiral remarked.
The commander went on to say that this mission took place despite harsh economic sanctions and military threats against the Islamic Republic.

“The conditions imposed on us show that sanctions and threats never work against the Iranians and that we can overcome great obstacles by relying on our own strength,” he underlined.

Irani highlighted that the fleet is the result of the experiences that Iran has gained since 2009.

The admiral explained the missions that the Iranian Navy have carried out.

“Apart from the Indian Ocean, we went to the direction of the China Sea and attended that region with Sabalan destroyer. Then we attended the Mediterranean Sea bypassing the Suez Canal. Then we took another step and went to the Cape of Good Hope. And in 20121 we honorably passed through three oceans and participated in the parade of the Russian Navy,” he explained.

The admiral added the naval mission provided security for maritime commerce both for Iran and others.

“We did not establish security only for our own economic purposes. Others also took advantage of it, and we can say that we also gave security to others,” the Navy commander said.

He also said that today, Iran can exercise authority in all open seas whenever an order is issued.

The admiral further said localization of propellants is important for Iran.

“Soon we will see the construction of the first all-Iranian propellants that help all units in the sea,” Irani underlined.

When asked about the challenges facing the 75th fleet, the Navy chief said that the biggest challenge for the fleet was to prove its self-confidence.

“We are the only country that meet our maritime security singlehandedly, and this group of ships continued its journey without seeking help from any country,” he pointed out.
Irani underscored that Iran did not need any port along the way, even to meet technical needs.

“The enemy’s attention on our fleet was more to see if we were breaking the rules or not, thank God we did not break any rules and we were able to cross three important canals and eight straits safely,” the Navy chief highlighted.

On September 23, the second-ranking commander in the IRGC, Brigadier General Ali Fadavi, had said while the U.S. itself was not able to do any military adventure against Iran it is quite clear the Islamic Republic does not allow its proxies to do so.

“When the United States cannot take action against Iran, we will not even allow its proxies to do so,” Fadavi said in a talk show.

Fadavi made these remarks as Iran marked the Sacred Defense Week.

Iran refers to defense against the invading Saddam Army in the 1980s as sacred defense.

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Admiral Niazi is visiting Iran upon the official invitation of the Iranian Navy commander.

The two commanders discussed a range of issues including expanding military relations, deepening ties in the sea, protecting regional security, and using military experience in undertaking missions and safeguarding the two neighboring countries’ national interests at the sea.

On the sideline of the meeting, Iranian and Pakistani navy commanders also paid tribute to the anonymous martyrs of the eight-year Sacred Defense buried in the National Museum of the Islamic Revolution and Holy Defense and then made a tour at the museum.

Iran refers to resistance against the invading Saddam Army in the 1980s as Sacred Defense.

Admiral Irani said that Iran and Pakistan could serve together as a powerful arm for ensuring regional security.

Referring to strategic relations between the naval forces of Iran and Pakistan, the commander said that the two forces have staged different joint naval maneuvers over the past years.

He also called for efforts by the naval forces of both countries to establish security, particularly in the Northern Indian Ocean.

Iranian and Pakistani naval forces have in recent years promoted cooperation and staged several joint drills in the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman.

In April, a flotilla of the Pakistani Navy berthed at Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas and held a joint war game in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman with the Iranian units.

The Pakistani Navy commander is scheduled to visit Iran’s northern fleet deployed at coasts of the Caspian Sea.

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Khanzadi also said the Iranian Navy has a significant presence in the east and north of the Indian Ocean.

He added, “The Indian Ocean, as the third largest ocean in the world, has been plagued by piracy in recent years, and centers of insecurity have been formed in the Gulf of Aden.”

He also referred to the rotation of hosting the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) from Iran to France, saying, “The hosting of the sixth session of the IONS Symposium in 2018 was entrusted to Iran. France was named as the next host. At the same symposium, we told the French where they were going to hold the next summit. They told us in Paris, and we said that you are attending the symposium because of the Réunion Island, and you have to hold the next symposium on this island.”

The IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean region by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion of regionally relevant maritime issues.

The IONS has 24 members, including Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, France, Australia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Singapore, Malaysia, Seychelles, Thailand, Timor Leste, and the UK.

There are also 8 observers, namely China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Russia and Spain.

Khanzadi also referred to his recent visit to Réunion Island owned by France, saying that on the sidelines of the symposium, he met with the commanders of the German, Dutch and French navies and reiterated the firm position of Iran on regional coalitions of which they (France, Germany, and Netherlands) are a member.

“We have raised the issue and they also said that they will convey the Islamic Republic’s positions to their capitals and it seems that the Europeans intend to separate their way from the Americans,” he remarked.

The top Navy commander said that it seems that the Europeans are under pressure from the Americans, and it is the United States that is “mischievous in the meantime.”

About the International Maritime Security Cooperation on International Coordination Center that will soon open in Chabahar, Admiral Khanzadi said that Iran has been thinking for a long time to establish a center to lead maritime security efforts at the IONS Symposium.

“This center is being established for the first time in Chabahar Free Zone. The main effort of this center is to collect white data and dominate the northern Indian Ocean region.

This information must be shared between countries and any activity that interferes with maritime security must be stopped. The center can also conduct naval operations,” he highlighted.

He continued by saying that right now, the Navy is in online contact with all IONS member countries.

The commander of the Navy also stressed about sending an army fleet to the Atlantic Ocean, saying, “Makran ship is a mobile seaport and it has a good capacity for the presence of our fleets in the high seas. Sahand has sailed for 400 days since its construction, which shows that there is a great capacity of knowledge in the youth of this country.”

Today the Islamic Republic is the country that is setting a precedent in the Atlantic region, Khanzadi stated.

“Of course, part of that presence is because the Americans said the Iranians could not be present in the Atlantic,” he underlined.

According to the Navy chief, it has a special message when a fleet from the Islamic Republic is present in the Cape of Good Hope and the Atlantic Ocean.

“We had no plans to be in the Gulf of Mexico at all. The United States is concerned that today, for the first time in Iran’s history, the gates of the Atlantic have been opened to us,” he noted.

“One day the Leader of the Islamic Revolution told us to plan to go to a country like Gambia, where the Americans started slavery,” he said.

Khanzadi noted that the presence of the Iranian Navy, which represents a country that supports the oppressed, also has a special message, and incidentally, Iran’s fleet was present in Gambia last week.

“The Americans have set up bases around us over the years, and today they are terrified when we are 5,000 kilometers away from them. This fear is because the presence of Iran breaks the hegemony of the United States,” the top military official highlighted.

Khanzadi added that today maritime terrorist acts are being carried out in the Red Sea, and in a situation that the Iranian oil is under embargo, they are seeking to hit Iranian tankers.

He also spoke about the Navy’s relationship with knowledge-based companies, saying, “A domestic knowledge-based company has succeeded in designing and building a marine diesel engine in six months. We also have a naval innovation center under construction in the Navy. The same young people have promised us to build a heavy destroyer. Accordingly, we have proposed the establishment of a maritime industry innovation factory. In a meeting with the commander of the German Navy, I talked about how we have mastered the technology of German MTO engines, and he said do not neglect these engines. After we returned from the IONS Symposium, young scientists came and said that they had made this engine in the country and named it MAC.”

About the security situation of the country’s maritime borders, Admiral Khanzadi said that the security of the Iranian maritime borders is very high and it is not possible for a vessel to have intention to occupy this area and not be monitored from time to time.

Navy and Air Force drones have created a good capacity to provide complete security to areas under the mission of the army and even to areas within the mission of the IRGC, he said, adding, “For Israel to be present in our geography is like a dream.”

The Navy commander emphasized the construction of a native hovercraft, saying, “I have followed the construction plan of this hovercraft step by step and the Defense Ministry has promised to deliver this hovercraft, which is equipped with a missile, to the Navy in December.”

He also said that in the days of the holy defense (the years Iran was resisting the invading Saddam army), the Navy has predicted the joining of the Damavand destroyer and the Konarak ship to the Navy.

“In the not-too-distant future, the first intelligence vessel, an ocean-going vessel, will also join the Navy,” he concluded.

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Khanzadi made the remarks in a meeting with senior commanders of the Iranian Navy and the IRGC’s naval forces held in the port city of Bandar Abbas on Wednesday, which focused on exploring ways to increase synergy between the two forces. Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, commander of the IRGC Navy, was also present in the meeting.

Khanzadi said that Iran’s enemies are aware of the fact that they would receive a crushing response if they pose any threat to the country.
“The current security in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman and international waters has been created by the constant and strong presence of the naval forces of the Army and the IRGC,” the senior commander added.
He emphasized that enhanced interaction and synergy between the Army and the IRGC would be very important since such cooperation would “thwart any destabilizing measures by extra-regional countries and maintain sustainable security in this strategic region.”

Tangsiri, for his part, said the naval forces of the two forces enjoy high unity and interaction, which would further boost security in Iran and across the region.

In recent years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems. Iran says its military might poses no threat to other countries, stating that its defense doctrine is based on deterrence.A senior commander said in October that the naval forces of Iran’s Army and the IRGC have formed a strong “defense chain” from the north of the Persian Gulf to the Northern Indian Ocean, which stands ready to respond to any threat and act of aggression against the country.

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Washington has presented itself as a mediator in an ongoing dispute between China and several other nations, although the US has no territory in the region, Sputnik reported.

The US and Chinese navies are both holding aircraft carrier drills in the waters off China’s coast as Washington postures as standing up to Beijing’s “aggression.”

On Sunday, the South China Sea Probing Initiative (SCSPI) think tank reported that the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt had entered the South China Sea via the southern Strait of Malacca.

That same day, SCSPI reported a US guided-missile destroyer, the USS Mustin, was sailing in the East China Sea close to the Yangtze River delta and the cities of Shanghai and Hangzhou.

Then on Monday, China’s Global Times reported that the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning had led a task force alongside the Type 055 cruiser Nanchang through the Miyako Strait and into the Philippine Sea before launching exercises east of Taiwan.

The two carrier strike groups are hundreds of miles apart, but the convergence of the two nations’ naval forces highlights the growing tension in the region as the US doubles down on its diplomatic and ideological offensive to portray China as a threat to the global order.

Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken flew to Europe to press US allies on the need to close ranks against China. In an interview given to Italian media, he said.

Washington’s goal was “not to contain China or keep it down” but to “preserve the rules-based international order, in which we have all invested so much over the past 75 years, and which has served our interests and values well.”

“When someone challenges this system, be it China or others – when they do not play by or respect the rules, or try to undermine the commitments made by others, we all have reason to object,” Blinken said, accusing Beijing of “undermining this order, violating human rights and other commitments.”

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