(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-11-25 08:55

TEHRAN - Iran's navy commander said on Saturday that his forces will launch military maneuvers in Hormuz Strait and Gulf of Oman in February to exercise their naval capabilities, the official IRNA news agency reported.

The Iranian Navy perform military exercises in the the Straits of Hormuz. Iran's navy chief said Tehran has no plans to block the Straits of Hormuz amid fears it could use the strategic oil passage as a weapon in its nuclear standoff with the West. [Agencies]

Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told reporters that the military exercises, code named, "Ettehad 86," or "Unity 86," will continue for a week.

The war games aim to exercise technical tactics, test the navy' s equipment and promote power of the naval forces in the field of different surface-to-surface and air-to-sea operations, he said.

The navy personnel will also launch different missiles during the military exercises, the Iranian rear admiral added.

According to local Fars news agency, Sayyari also said that Iran has no plans to block the Straits of Hormuz amid fears it could use the strategic oil passage as a weapon in its nuclear standoff with the West.

"We are prepared to defend the interests of the Islamic Republic against any kind of threat, but we have not made any such claim about closing the Strait of Hormoz," he said.

"Yet, we are ready to take action to preserve our interests," Sayyari said. "Our missile unit is equipped with different kinds of missiles and they meet the ranges that are required."

He also said that two Iran-made warships -- a destroyer called "Jamaran" and a submarine of "Ghadir" class -- will be launched on November 28.

Sayyari further stressed that his troops are closely monitoring military moves of foreign powers in the region.

"The naval force is in full control over the region and monitors all the military moves of the enemies in the region," he said.

Iran has regularly launched large-scale war games since the nuclear issue became the spotlight in the world more than three years ago.