Navy commander says IMEX 2024 maritime exercise shows Iran cannot be isolated

Iranian Navy Commander Admiral Shahram Irani said on Monday that presence of different countries in the combined Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Maritime Exercise “IMEX 2024” with Iran indicated that the country cannot be isolated.

News ID: 5284

Date: 21 October 2024 - 11:31

TABNAK, Oct, 21: “The drill showed that Iran has based its efforts on establishing tranquility and security for the international community,” he said.

On October 18, Flotillas of Russian and Omani warships arrived in Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf to participate in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Maritime Exercise "IMEX 2024," hosted  by the Southern Fleet of the Iranian Navy and was conducted on October 19.

The warships docked in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on Friday.

Representatives of several other countries, like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Thailand, also landed at Bandar Abbas International Airport to take part in the war game as observers.

The purpose of the “IMEX 2024” joint naval exercise was to increase collective security in the region, expand multilateral cooperation, and display the goodwill and capabilities to safeguard peace, friendship and maritime security.

Admiral Irani also stressed providing security for maritime economy as a channel for 70 percent of global trade, and said, “This big and important drill carried out by navy forces of Indian Ocean countries indicated that the countries are able to provide security for maritime trade and there is no need to presence of unwarranted forces.”

“The main concern of Westerners is that there is no justification for their unjustified presence in the region. The issue of the Strait of Hormuz and maritime authority is related to our system and country, which we have achieved this ability thank God. But today our goal is global economy, global security and helping other countries and seafarers.”