“Holding this drill is for more preparedness in order to better maintain regional security,” Vahidi told reporters on Wednesday.
“New tactical measures and modern weapons will be tested in this drill,” he added.
Over the past few years, Iran has held several military drills to enhance the defense capabilities of its armed forces and to test modern military tactics and equipment.
The Islamic Republic maintains that the drills staged by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) or the Army are defensive in nature and aim to convey the message of peace and friendship to regional countries.
On Monday, the IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Fadavi told reporters that the IRGC will stage a drill in the Strait of Hormuz by the end of the current Iranian calendar year (ending March 20, 2013).
Fadavi said Iran seeks to establish lasting security in the Strait of Hormuz which is “the world’s most vital passage for energy transit,” stressing that foreign forces are incapable of establishing sustainable security in the region.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman, connects the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman.
It is the only sea route from the Persian Gulf to the high seas and is one of the world's most strategically-important choke points, through which nearly 40 percent of the world's crude oil passes.
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