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Addressing a meeting in the Northern port city of Anzali on Monday to introduce the new commander of the Iranian Navy’s northern fleet, Admiral Sayyari noted Iran’s 20-year vision plan, and said “the plan envisages Iran as the most powerful country in the region” and the Navy should contribute its share in this regard.

Meantime, Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has also laid much emphasis on the importance of the Seas and the necessity for making an optimized use of the seas to attain sustainable development, Sayyari added.

“To become the superior power in the region, we should turn into a regional power in military defense, and we should prove our might and capability not only inside, but also outside the region,” he continued.

In the same line, the Navy should safeguard the Islamic Republic of Iran’s interests, promote its military power and protect the country’s trade fleet, the Admiral said.

To do so, Iran should stage a powerful presence in the seas, “and Iran’s presence will be more outstanding, if we can deploy our submarines in the high seas, and this is actually what we are doing now”.

Also in a different meeting earlier today, Admiral Sayyari had underlined the importance of strengthening key military infrastructures on the country’s Southern coasts on the rims of the Persian Gulf.

“Construction, maintenance and rebuilding infrastructures on the Southern coasts is very important in the equipment and boost of the country’s military strength and capability,” Sayyari said, addressing Navy commanders and construction project managers.

“All naval units, specially the engineering unit which provides the foundation for a powerful military buildup in any given region, should move towards achieving their goals through cooperation, coordination and detailed and well-thought planning,” the Navy commander said.

The remarks by Sayyari came a few weeks after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei described the country’s Navy as “a strategic force”.