New Corvette to Join Caspian Fleet

Iran's naval fleet in the Caspian Sea will take delivery of a new missile-launching corvette in the near future, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said. In a meeting with naval forces stationed along the southeastern coasts of Makran on Sunday, Sayyari said Separ (shield) missile-launching military vessel will join the Caspian fleet in the current Iranian year (started March 21), Tasnim News Agency reported. Highlighting Navy's self-sufficiency in manufacturing various types of watercraft, the commander said Iran would not rely on any foreign party for meeting its demands in the naval sphere. Pointing to the leading role played by the Navy in ensuring the security of the country's southern waters, Sayyari said the efforts of naval forces have contributed to sustainable security for trade vessels and oil tankers sailing across the Persian Gulf, Sea of Oman, Strait of Hormuz, Gulf of Aden and Bab-el-Mandeb Strait.