NOWSHAHR, Mazandaran province -- Navy Commander Rear Admiral Abbas Mohtaj said here on Sunday that Iran's Navy will strongly defend the aspirations of the Islamic Republic.

Mohtaj, addressing a graduation ceremony of Nowshahr's Imam Khomeini Navy College, said Iran is not seeking war with other countries, stressing that Iran's armed forces should promote combat readiness to protect the country against foreign threats. "There should be more emphasis on maintaining the combat readiness

[of armed forces] more than any other time so as to safeguard Iran's interests as well as its territorial integrity," he said, IRNA reported. "Iran's Navy, as a front line force, must enjoy a high military capability for that end."

Mohtaj also added that Iran should try to increase its military knowledge to promote its deterrent capacity against the enemies.