Iranian defense minister said that the country’s armed forces will stage naval war games in the Strait of Hormuz in order to maintain the security in the region.

Iranian defense minister said that the country’s armed forces will stage naval war games in the Strait of Hormuz in order to maintain the security in the region, state-run Mehr news agency reported.

“Since the Islamic Republic of Iran is the most important provider of security in the region, the aim of the war games to be held by Iranian armed forces in the Strait of Hormuz is to increase military preparedness and maintain the security of the region,” Iranian media outlets quoted Navy commander Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi on Wednesday.

Moreover, Vahidi added the maneuvers will be carried out to test new military systems and practice new military tactics.

On Monday, rear admiral Ali Fadavi, the commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, announced that naval forces of the IRGC plan to hold war games in the Strait of Hormuz by the end of the current Iranian calendar year, which ends on March 21, 2013.

IRGC forces practiced their ability to block the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important oil shipping waterway, during a naval exercise conducted in January in the Persian Gulf.

Vahidi also announced that the project to manufacture new domestically designed submarines to be delivered to the IRGC is well underway.

However, the Iranian military officials said that the country’s armed forces may consider blocking the strategic waterway if Iran encounters any military threats.