CHABAHAR, Sistan-Baluchestan Province Acting Commander of the Navy Rear Admiral Mohammad-Hassan Shafiee said here Tuesday that Persian Gulf security depends on Iran's military might at the mouth of the Oman Sea and its security as well.

Speaking to reporters on the operational theater of "Unity-80" marine war games, he said that one of the reasons for choosing Oman Sea for conducting such an underwater maneuver is to beef up the military and combat power of the naval forces in the Third Marine Zone.

He said that the motto of the "Unity-80" war games is sustainable security in the light of unity of the regional countries, adding that sustainable security will be realized through cooperation of regional countries and in the absence of illegitimate presence of extraterritorial forces.

Rear Admiral Shafiee further remarked that a glance at regional developments in recent years further reveals that through Iran's policy of detente in the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea, the situation has become safe and more immune.

He stressed that broader cooperation among regional countries will boost security in the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea and will put an end to the illegitimate presence of extraterritorial forces.

He pointed to Iran's joint marine cooperation with India which was launched over two years ago and said last year the Iranian Naval Forces conducted a joint military exercise with Pakistan and Italy and this year the forces will have friendly visits to the neighboring countries.

Shafiee said that the "Unity" maneuvers is an annual program which is jointly conducted between the naval and air forces.

He said the tactical stage of the military games had been launched and will continue until Wednesday, Army Day, and then the unit will proceed toward the Strait of Hormoz.

The participating units launched the second stage of "Unity-80" marine military games in the waters of the Oman Sea, Monday morning.

The spokesman of the maneuvers Rear Admiral Abdollah Ma'navi told a gathering of commanders that navy vessels responded the air attacks of the hypothetical enemy against port and military installations and forced them to retreat economic zones along the shore.

He stressed that the navy reached all its predetermined targets in the first stage of the war games without any failure.

Explosion of underwater barricades, seabed mine sweeping, repair of sunk vessels and tactical operations of frogmen against port an economic installations of the hypothetical enemy simultaneously with guerrilla and counter-guerrilla operation were conducted as well, Rear Admiral Ma'navi said.

The navy on Friday kicked off six days of major naval maneuvers in the Strait of Hormoz and the Sea of Oman.

The exercises, codenamed "Unity-80," are held over an area of 50,000 square kilometers (29,700 square miles) of water with the message of friendship and fraternity for regional countries.

In the first stage, submarines and other floating units of the naval forces maneuvered in the strategic Strait of Hormoz.

The three Iranian submarines are taking part in the maneuvers.

(IRNA)