Iran to enhance naval cooperation with neighboring countries

Tabnak – In line with their growing cooperation and coordination on bilateral and regional issues, Iran and Russia will reportedly hold a joint naval drill in the Caspian Sea. The report comes as the Islamic Republic is trying to expand its naval activities, including international partnerships in the sphere.

The commander of the Iranian navy says Iran and Russia will hold joint drills in the Caspian Sea as he underlines opposition to the military presence of any country from outside the region.

“Relief and rescue, tactical, and anti-piracy exercises between Iranian and Russian naval forces are being planned and will be carried out in the near future,” Rear-Admiral Hossein Khanzadi said on Sunday. “Joint drills with Russia will surely take us to a new level of cooperation in strategic, tactical, and operational areas at sea,” he added.

Iran and Russia have held several naval drills in the Caspian Sea. Khanzadi said cooperation among the naval forces of the Caspian states has “tremendously deepened” in recent years. According to the commander, relations have now assumed a traditional format, where regional states enjoy good mutual understanding.

Khanzadi asserted that the presence of foreign forces in the waters is ruled out and will certainly be confronted. “The Caspian is the sea of peace and friendship, and all its littoral countries follow this approach.”

Meanwhile, a Pakistani naval fleet has berthed in the southern Iranian port city of Bandar Abbas on a friendly four-day visit to further improve military relations and good neighborliness between the two countries. The Pakistani peace and friendship flotilla, comprised of PNS Khaibar, PMSS Zhob, PNS Madadgar and PNS Rah Naward, docked at the Iranian port on Sunday.

An Iranian Navy commander, Mojtaba Mohammadi, said the Pakistani fleet's crew planned to meet with local Iranian Navy officials, attend joint cultural and training courses, and visit naval facilities in Bandar Abbas. He added that Iran has so far dispatched several fleet to Pakistan with the purpose of strengthening cooperation between the two neighboring countries.

In another related development, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy said his forces have begun developing submarines, saying new achievements in this field will be unveiled in coming war games. In an interview with Tasnim, Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said the IRGC Navy has entered the industry of submarine manufacturing.

“(Presence in) the subsurface sphere is one of our needs which we must pursue,” the commander said, adding that the IRGC Navy’s achievements in the underwater vessel industry will be unveiled in future war games.

Highlighting the IRGC Navy’s full control over all movements of trans-regional enemies in regional waters, Rear Admiral Tangsiri said his forces have plans to boost their missile and drone capabilities.

In comments in November, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei urged the Iranian Armed Forces to boost their military capabilities and preparedness in such a way that the enemies would not ever dare think of threaten the country.

Pointing to the plots that the enemies and rivals have hatched against the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized the necessity to step up extraordinary efforts in all areas, as in the Navy, to thwart the hostile plots and compensate for the shortcomings.