‘Maneuvers displayed Iran navy’s might’

The 10-day Velayat 90 naval drill, launched on December 24, 2011, had four stages, namely the preparedness, expansion of forces, tactical, and power phases, which were carried out successfully with the surface and subsurface vessel units and aviation units penetrating to the targeted depths. 

He said that the armed forces also tested advanced electronic and optical communications systems successfully, as well as domestically-manufactured surface-to-surface, coast-to-sea, and sea-to-coast missiles. 

Vahidi also lauded the successful first-time launch of Qader, Nasr, and Nour missiles and stated that Iran’s defensive might is at the service of regional peace and stability. 

The naval exercises were conducted in line with a directive recently issued by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei that instructed the Iranian armed forces to maintain total preparedness to defend the nation against any potential threat. 

Iran maintains that the maneuvers are defensive in nature and intend to convey a message of peace and friendship to regional countries. It has also extended a public invitation to regional states to conduct joint naval drills with Iranian forces. 

Iran launches power phase of naval drills

Iran’s Navy forces have commenced the power phase of their operations on the eighth day of major naval maneuvers in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

The tactical phase of the Velayat 90 exercises ended Friday night and its power phase, launched early on Saturday, will continue until Monday. 

In this phase, various long and short-range coast-to-sea missiles will be launched. Also, the submarine and surface units will fire different types of long-range, short-range, surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, which have been designed and manufactured by Iranian experts. 

This stage of the drills will also see the firing of domestically-manufactured torpedoes including electronic torpedoes and different types of shoulder-launched missile. 

On the seventh day of the drills, launched on Friday, naval forces performed special heliborne operations and conducted free-fall parachute jumps from SH helicopters. 

Iran’s Navy launched the massive 10-day Velayat 90 naval exercises on December 24. The military maneuvers cover an area from the east of the strategic Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Aden. 

Iran says that the drills are defensive in nature and intended to convey a message of peace and friendship to the countries in the region.