According to General Kaviani, the exercises are aimed to "boost Iran's naval performance in international waters and to display the country's military prowess."
The maneuver will be held this winter within the perimeters of Iran's southern territorial waters and high seas, the commander said.
Navy's state-of-the-art equipment, including two submarines and destroyers, would take part in the drills, he added.
According to him, the domestically-manufactured Ghadir-class submarines will be used in the drills. Unveiled earlier this month, Ghadir-class submarines are capable of launching subsurface-to-surface missiles, torpedoes and mines.
The newly unveiled Sahand Destroyer will also be dispatched to the Indian Ocean for the military maneuver. Sahand Destroyer is equipped with radar-evading stealth system and can go on voyages lasting five months without resupply. It is said to be the most advanced of a domestic destroyer in the West Asia region.
In February 2017, Iranian naval forces held another large-scale maneuver in the north of the Indian Ocean.
MR/IRN83127246
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