Iran’s Navy Commander Holds Military Talks in Italy


Iran’s Navy Commander Holds Military Talks in Italy

TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari met top foreign naval officials on the sidelines of a symposium in Italy’s Venice to discuss military cooperation and exchange of experiences in the fight against piracy.

Rear Admiral Sayyari has travelled to Italy to join the representatives of more than 50 other countries in the Venice Regional Sea Power Symposium for the Navies of the Mediterranean and Black Sea Countries.

Iran’s Navy had announced earlier that the commander would attend the symposium to provide the other participating countries with Iran’s experience in ensuring security in high-risk maritime zones, like the Gulf of Aden.

On Tuesday night, the Iranian Navy commander held talks with nine foreign counterparts and ranking commanders during a formal dinner on the sidelines of the Venice symposium.

Rear Admiral Sayyari held separate conversations with the navy commanders of Bulgaria, Greece, Portugal, South Africa, Croatia, Algeria and Argentina, as well as the lieutenant navy commanders of Spain and Russia.

All the foreign commanders expressed enthusiasm for closer military interaction with Iran.

The ongoing symposium in Venice is aimed at creating a forum for Navy commanders to meet and discuss the common challenges, and strengthen mutual cooperation, according to Italy’s Defense Ministry website.

The Italian navy has hosted the biennial symposium since 1996.

In September 2016, a high-ranking military delegation from the Italian army visited Iran, held meetings with Rear Admiral Sayyari, and came up with a plan for the dispatch of the European country’s warships to Iran as part of naval cooperation.

A few weeks later, Iranian and Italian naval fleets staged a joint military drill in international waters off the coast of Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas.

Two destroyers from Iran’s Navy and an Italian frigate dubbed “Euro” took part in the exercise near the strategic Strait of Hormuz.

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