Commander: Iran Likely to Hold Joint Naval Drill with Russia, China
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s Navy commander raised the possibility of a joint naval drill between Iran, Russia and China.
“It is not unlikely that we hold joint drills with those two countries (Russia and China) in future, and it depends on the country’s general policies,” Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said in an interview with Al-Alam News Network on Sunday.
He said the country’s naval forces have now gained such a high level of power that can stage joint exercises with the other countries.
Back in September, military vessels from the Islamic Republic of Iran and China held a joint naval exercise in the Persian Gulf.
It took place after a first-ever Chinese naval fleet berthed in Iran. Comprising a logistic warship and a destroyer, the fleet stayed at Iran’s southern port city of Bandar Abbas for four days.
In another sign of Iran’s openness to military cooperation with the neighbors, a Russian naval fleet berthed at the Iranian northern port city of Anzali in October.
The Russian fleet, consisting of two missile-launching warships, came to Iran to convey the message of peace and friendship.