Sputnik - Iran plans to send ships to western Atlantic Ocean in the near future, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said.




According to�Tasnim news agency, the move is aimed to�highlight the Iranian navy's "powerful presence in�international waters."

The Iranian military also refuted mainstream media reports portraying the Islamic republic's Naval Forces as "weak."

�[In a program aired] on�CNN,� they (Americans) [�] said Iran by�no means is capable of�entering the ocean and passing through�it, but�we arrived in�the Atlantic, and we will go to�the west of�the ocean in�the near�future,� Tasnim�quoted�the Rear Admiral Sayyari by�saying.

In recent years, the Iranian fleet increased its presence in�international waters to�secure naval routes and protect ships and oil tankers from�pirates.

Last November, Sayyari spoke about�Iran's plans to�send ships to�the Atlantic Ocean for�the first time; the 44 flotilla of�the Iranian Naval Forces entered the Atlantic Ocean after�visiting one of�the ports in�South Africa.

Coincidence or not, the statement came after�a number of�incidents involving the US navy and Iranian ships�in�the Arabian Gulf.