Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

Iran has unveiled its first domestically developed minesweeping system, Iran's Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said on Wednesday.

Iran is now among a few countries possessing the technology to defuse and clear naval mines, the Iranian commander said on the sidelines of the ongoing minesweeping drill in the country's southern waters where the new system was launched, Press TV reported.

With the development of the new minesweeping system, he said, anti-mine helicopter units can engage in defusing sea mines.

Over the recent years, Iran has made important breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems.

Besides, Iran plans to display a new reconnaissance and combat Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) in the next few days, the country's defense minister announced on Monday.

The Iranian Army has recently test-fired different types of newly-developed missiles and torpedoes and tested a large number of its domestic made weapons, tools and equipments, including submarines, military ships, artillery, choppers, aircraft, UAVs and air defense and electronic systems during massive military drills.

Pointing to the presence of trans-regional forces in the Persian Gulf, Iran's Navy Commander Sayyari underlined that the Iranian naval forces fully monitor all the movements of the foreign forces in order to counter any threats against the country.

"Iran has proven that the regional countries can establish security in the region on their own and there is no need for the presence of trans-regional countries," he added.

The Iranian Navy began the minesweeping maneuvers in the east of the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman on Tuesday.

The Iranian Navy's Deputy Commander for Operations, Rear Admiral Siavash Jareh, said on Monday that the "drill is being held with the aim of countering the enemy's Iranophobia campaign" and displaying the power of the Armed Forces of the country.

Over the past few years, Iran has held several military drills to enhance the defense capabilities of its armed forces and to test modern military tactics and equipment.

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

Meanwhile, the United States and 29 other naval powers, including Britain and certain Arab countries, began a joint military exercise, called International Mine Countermeasures Exercise, in the Persian Gulf on May 6.

Washington said the drill, which runs through May 30, is aimed at practicing minesweeping and the protection of commercial vessels.

Xinhua news agency reported earlier that more than 100 divers, 35 ships and 18 unmanned submarines would take part in the exercise.