Iran, Russia stage joint naval wargames

Prior to the start of the drills, Commander of Iran's fleet of warships in the Northern Gilan province Admiral Ahmad Reza Baqeri told FNA that Iranian Navy's Destroyer Damavand and missile-launching warships Joshan and Peikan will take part in the joint drills with the Russian fleet.

He said that 200 Iranian naval forces will also be present in the exercises.
The Russian fleet would leave the Iranian waters for Azerbaijan after the drills, he added.

The Russian vessels docked in Iran’s Anzali port Sunday in anticipation of joint naval exercises during the three-day stay.

The Russian warships, Volgodonsk and Makhachkala, had berthed in Anzali Port near the Caspian Sea in the fourth naval zone, on the afternoon of 9 August.

In October, another Russian fleet also berthed in Northern Iran and left the Iranian port for Azerbaijan on October 15.

Russia's Ambassador to Tehran Levan Jagarian, who attended the ceremony, called for boosting mutual ties between the two countries in various fields.

Russian Consul General in Iran's Northern city of Rasht Maxim Baranov also said that expanding bilateral economic, political and military cooperation is among the priorities of the visit.

In 2013, the Russian ships and the ships of other Caspian states exchanged friendly visits four times. The Iranian ships visited Astrakhan and Russia’s Volga region in August 2013.
/SR