Iran, Russia to Hold Joint Drill in Indian Ocean, Not Persian Gulf: Navy
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Iranian Navy dismissed media reports that a joint naval drill of Iran and Russia will take place in the Persian Gulf, stressing that the war game is to be launched in the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Iranian Navy’s public relations department said a number of local media outlets have misinterpreted what Commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi has said about the venue of an upcoming joint drill with Russia.
The statement rejected the “false and incorrect” reports that have quoted Admiral Khanzadi as saying on Monday that Iran and Russia are planned to stage the joint naval drill in the Persian Gulf.
Pointing to a recent meeting between the Navy commanders of Iran and Russia, the statement said the two countries are making arrangements for the drill in northern parts of the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman.
Heading a military delegation, Rear Admiral Khanzadi participated in the Russian Navy Day celebrations in St. Petersburg, attended by representatives of 20 countries.
In a press conference in late April, Rear Admiral Khanzadi unveiled plans for a joint naval drill with Russia in coming months.
Pointing to the negotiations with Russian officials on “technical and operational” cooperation between the naval forces of the two countries, Khanzadi said the Iranian Navy’s fleet in the southern waters is going to stage a joint war game with Russia’s Navy in the current Iranian year, which began on March 21.