TEHRAN The Italian warship Bersagliere anchored in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas at a special ceremony yesterday.

The crew and commander of the warship were welcomed by the Italian ambassador and military attache in Iran as well as some senior Iranian navy officers.

Speaking at a press conference, an Iranian navy officer Captain Seifollah Ansari said that the crew of the warship will have meetings with the governor general of the Hormozgan Province and Friday prayer leader of Bandar Abbas and visit some cities during their four-day stay in Iran.

"They are also supposed to take part in friendly football and volleyball matches and a formal banquet, attend a ceremony marking Easter and address a press conference," Ansari added.

He said the ambassadors of serval countries, Italian students in Tehran and the Italian representative for religious affairs in Iran would also take part in these ceremonies.

The Italian navy entered the Iranian waters from Bahrain, and it is supposed to take part in joint maneuvers with the Iranian navy while leaving Bandar Abbas.

Earlier, two submarines and destroyers from Pakistan anchored in Bandar Abbas, and their crew visited different parts of Iran during their four-day stay in this country.