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Iran Navy's 28th fleet to leave India's Mumbai port

Iran Press TV

Mon Dec 9, 2013 10:56AM GMT

Iran's 28th naval fleet of war vessels is set to depart from India's western port city of Mumbai for other major ports in Southeast Asia, says an Iranian naval commander.

The flotilla, comprising Alborz destroyer, Bandar Abbas auxiliary ship, Younes super-heavy submarine and a Bell 212 Twin Huey helicopter will leave the Mumbai port on Monday and continue sailing towards another major port in Southeast Asia, said Iranian Navy's Deputy Commander for Operations Rear Admiral Siavash Jareh.

Highlighting that Younes super-heavy sub is accompanying the fleet, the commander emphasized that the presence of the Iranian Navy's subsurface units in international waters shows the country's growing capability as a strategic force to safeguard the interests of the Islamic Republic in the high seas.

The commander also underlined that Iran's Navy has turned into a strategic force which has the lion's share of ensuring security for the country's vessels along shipping lanes in international waters "by tapping into all its air, surface and subsurface potential."

While the Iranian flotilla was at the Mumbai port, he said, the commander of Indian's Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha visited the battle group and commended the Iranian naval units for their preparedness.

He reiterated that the 28th Navy fleet recently managed to repel an attack by pirates on a Liberian-flagged vessel in the Indian Ocean.

On November 28, Commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said the Liberian-flagged ship was sailing in the north of the Indian Ocean when it came under attack by pirates and sent a distress signal which was picked up by Iranian naval forces.

In recent years, Iran's Navy has been increasing its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers.

In line with international efforts to combat piracy, the Iranian Navy has also been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 to safeguard the vessels involved in maritime trade, especially the ships and oil tankers owned or leased by Iran.

Iranian naval forces have, since last summer, repelled ten pirate attacks and freed two vessels seized by pirates.

MFB/NN/HRB