According to the public relations of the Marine Industries Organization, Rear Admiral Amir Rastegari, head of the organization, said at the opening ceremony of the 21st Marine Industries Conference and Exhibition on Qeshm Island: the Supreme Leader has always emphasized development and progress based on indigenous capability and knowledge, and the Marine Industries Organization has built capacity and capability on the basis of this very strategy. He added: today the Marine Industries Organization designs and produces all the marine needs of the mighty naval forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran — in the Army of the Islamic Republic, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the police coast guard. Of course, this design and production is not confined to the Marine Industries Organization; a vast network of the country’s industry players and knowledge-based companies cooperate with the Marine Industries Organization in this regard as strategic partners.

Cooperation of the Marine Industries Organization with 500 industrial and research companies

Referring to the Marine Industries Organization’s future plans, Rear Admiral Rastegari said: we are designing and producing various projects in line with our needs in the field of surface, subsurface and high-speed vessels, and we have so far brought significant products into the country’s defense cycle. Today we can confidently say that we cooperate with more than 500 industrial, research and academic companies.

Providing the necessary groundwork for the realization of a maritime civilization

Stating that the Marine Industries Organization seeks to create a maritime civilization and the sea-oriented development of the country, he said: today the Marine Industries Organization is striving to provide the infrastructure needed to create a maritime civilization with the characteristics of Islamic Iran, because the science, knowledge and technology to create a maritime civilization exist in our country.

Military progress under sanctions reflects defensive might

The head of the Marine Industries Organization stated: the country’s advances have come about while we are under the harshest sanctions, and despite these sanctions the armed forces have, day by day, added to the country’s defensive capability, might and deterrence.

Destroying the intruding drone reflects the country’s deterrent power

Referring to the defensive might of the armed forces against trans-regional superpowers, he said: Iran’s armed forces destroy the intruding American drone and the enemy does not dare to react, whereas in the past, with a single political stance, the arrogant powers used to apply military punishments against developing countries, or in the past they would threaten us with the military option on the table; but today, thanks to the military and defense industries and the armed forces devoted to the Guardianship (Velayat), the enemy’s rhetoric has changed from the option on the table and threats to use the military option toward avoiding tension and war with Iran. Rear Admiral Rastegari said: this capability and deterrence have been achieved solely by relying on and believing in the capabilities of the country’s young generation. In this regard he added: in the Sixth Five-Year Plan we put numerous vessel-construction projects on the agenda, and we are now preparing for the 2020–2030 horizon so that the mighty forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran can defend the country’s interests and resources in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman, the Indian Ocean and the high seas. Analyzing the shortcomings in the country’s marine development, the head of the Marine Industries Organization noted: in our country, despite the vast and numerous potentials that exist, unfortunately we have in some cases neglected the capacities and have not been able to seize the opportunities; therefore we must seek solutions to resolve these issues, and the most important solution for resolving the existing issues of the marine domain in the country is creating focus.

Proposal to establish a maritime deputy in the Presidency

Stressing that what matters and creates positive transformation is the will and the belief, Rear Admiral Rastegari added: if a maritime deputy (vice-presidency) is established in the Presidency, we can witness ever-greater growth and flourishing of the doctrine and strategies of the marine industries in the country. The head of the Marine Industries Organization said: in the defense industries today, owing to the unity of command, we have been successful and have managed to achieve remarkable successes in the marine domain.