Navy commander: Velayat 91 drill displays Iran's defensive powers

Iran's Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said the "Velayat 91" military drill displays the country's defensive capabilities and power and conveys the message of peace and friendship to regional countries, Press TV reported.

"The objectives of the Velayat 91 drill are to display the Islamic Republic's power in establishing security in seas and to convey the message of peace and friendship to regional countries," Sayyari said on Tuesday night.

He added that the drill show the Islamic Republic's capabilities in defending the country's borders and the Navy's ability to provide security in waters, in particular the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman and north of the Indian Ocean.

The Iranian Navy launched the Velayat 91 drill on December 28.

According to an earlier announcement by the Iranian Navy commander, the specialized maritime maneuver covers an area from "east of the Strait of Hormuz in the Sea of Oman and north of the Indian Ocean as far as the 18th parallel north."

Sayyari added that the Velayat 91 drill was different from previous maneuvers as the Navy significantly enhanced the capabilities of its military equipment, including submarines, torpedoes, missile-launching warships, shore-to-sea and surface-to-air missiles, and carried out the drill in a large area of one million square meters.

Over the past few years, Iran has held several military drills.

The Islamic Republic has repeatedly assured other nations, especially its neighbors, that its military might poses no threat to other countries, stating that its defense doctrine is based on deterrence.