"The Iranian Navy will definitely be present in the Atlantic Ocean in the near future," Admiral Sayyari told reporters on the sidelines of his meeting with foreign military attaches in Tehran on Sunday.He noted that conducting reciprocal visits to other countries, including the coastal countries of the Indian Ocean and the African countries, and exchanging naval visits and voyages are among the Navy's programs.
"We are ready to hold joint naval drills with the neighboring countries as well," Admiral Sayyari said.
In recent years, Iran’s Navy has been increasing its presence in international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for trade vessels and tankers.
The Islamic Republic has repeatedly asserted that its overseas naval presence is meant to convey a message of peace and friendship to other countries.
Iranian officials and commanders have repeatedly underlined that all military exercises and trainings of the Iranian Armed Forces are merely meant to serve deterrent purposes.
The Iranian Navy has been conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008, when Somali raiders hijacked the Iranian-chartered cargo ship, MV Delight, off the coast of Yemen.
According to UN Security Council resolutions, different countries can send their warships to the Gulf of Aden and coastal waters of Somalia against the pirates and even with prior notice to Somali government enter the territorial waters of that country in pursuit of Somali sea pirates.
The Gulf of Aden - which links the Indian Ocean with the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea - is an important energy corridor, particularly because Persian Gulf oil is shipped to the West via the Suez Canal.