Navy commanders of 35 countries are to attend the 6th Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS 2018) in Tehran from April 22-25.
IONS 2018 consists of 23 permanent members and 9 observers, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi told a press briefing on Saturday, IRNA reported.
Iran’s Navy is a permanent member of the IONS.
The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium is the biggest military summit in Iran’s history. It is a series of biennial meetings among the littoral states of the Indian Ocean.
It provides a forum to increase maritime security cooperation, discuss regional maritime issues and promote friendly relations among member nations.
IONS is a security structure for the Indian Ocean region which is similar to the Western Pacific Naval Symposium. It is a voluntary initiative among the navies and maritime security agencies of the member nations.
In addition to the symposium, workshops and lectures will also be held.
