Speaking to reporters before his departure, the top Iranian commander said a range of issues are going to be discussed in IONS 2016, including the significance of the Indian Ocean and its northern zones in the international trade, the role of regional economies and the connection between Southeast Asia and the European Union.
The 3-day symposium, which is a biennial event, is bringing together Navy commanders, experts and academics from the Indian Ocean littoral countries, and also from America, Europe and East Asia, Sayyari explained.
According to the commander, the other topics to be discussed in the gathering will include the scourge of piracy in the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Gulf of Aden and the Strait of Malacca, the environmental issues, rescue of the vessels, and the naval presence along the Indian Ocean coasts.
Sayyari also noted that the Iranian delegation will let the participants know about the country’s good experience in the fight against piracy, its technical know-how in the repair and maintenance of watercraft and the military educational courses.
The commander also expected more than 12 high-profile meetings during his stay in Dhaka, including with the Bangladeshi Navy commander and minister of defense.
Iran will host the next IONS meeting in 2018, he noted.
The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean region by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussing the maritime issues across the region, according to its website.
IONS has 26 members, including France and Britain.
The previous editions of the symposium were held in India, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), South Africa, and Australia.