SL Navy Chief visits Iran's submarine

25 December 2013 08:07 pm Views - 3972

Commander of the Sri Lankan Navy Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage has visited Iran’s 28th fleet of warships, which includes super-heavy Younes submarine, at the port of Colombo.

On Wednesday, Colombage paid a visit to the flotilla, comprised of Alborz destroyer, Bandar Abbas auxiliary ship, Younes submarine as well as a Bell 212 Twin Huey helicopter, and was briefed on naval capabilities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

“We are hosting a submarine in Colombo port after a long time, and this was a rare opportunity to visit such a submarine” the Sri Lankan navy commander said after visiting super-heavy Younes submarine.

On December 20, Deputy Commander of the Iranian Navy for Operations Rear Admiral Siavash Jareh said Iran’s 28th naval flotilla has docked at Sri Lanka’s port of Colombo after docking at Mumbai port in western India as part of its mission in the Far East.

He added that eastern parts of the Indian Ocean are important for Iran’s Navy.

“The port of Colombo is among the important ports along the sea transit route to the Far East and East Asian countries and Sri Lanka is one of the countries in the Indian Ocean,” the commander said.

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. (Presstv)