Makran Coast development to revive Iran’s maritime civilization

TEHRAN (defapress) – The commander of Iran’s navy says that despite the maritime wealth of the country, colonial super powers have always deprived the Iranian nation from tapping the sea opportunities.

News ID: 66232

Date: 08 October 2017 - 21:45

Iran's Navy Commander Rear-Admiral Habibollah Sayyari addressed the commanders, instructors, and students at Imam Khomeini Maritime University in Nowshahr, north of Iran, on Sunday.

"Terrestrial borders make up 45 percent of Iran’s geopolitical boundaries while rivers act as 15% of total length and the remaining 31 percent is of Iran’s maritime borderline,” recounted the commander at his speech. Nevertheless, only 7% of Iran’s exporting and importing traffic passes through the terrestrial borders and 93 per cent of the flow goes through the maritime gates.”

"It clarifies how important the seas and the navies are for us,” affirmed the Iranian commander referring to the high rate of trade of goods done through Iranian sea ports, "we are obliged to know the importance of the maritime regions which are patrolled by Iranian navy vessels.”

He quoted Iran’s Leader, Ayatollah Khomeini saying that Iran is a maritime country and enlisted six features necessary for labeling a country as a maritime state, "geographical position, physical features, maritime and territorial vastitude, good-size population, a sea friendly people, and sea-strategist statesmen.”

The Iranian commander opined that the natural features have been inherited by the nation but the acquisitive features have been prevented from Iranians by colonialists.

"All the shortcomings and deficiencies prevailing over our country will be lifted and removed by capable hands of you,” he addressed the students and personnel present at the venue. "With developing Makran Coast and other shores, God willingly, we would resurrect our maritime civilization.”