"This year, for the second time, we are hosting Russian naval units," the spokesperson of the joint Iranian-Russian naval drill Rear Admiral Gholamreza Tahani on Tuesday.
Referring to the importance of the North Indian Ocean region, he added, "The North Indian Ocean is located between three of the world's five strategic straits and, in fact, surrounds the world's energy, doubling the need for maritime security due to the move of merchant vessels and tankers in this sensitive area."
Tahani explained the reason why the exercise is being held in the current context, despite the worldwide spread of the coronavirus, "There is no day off when it comes to security and we have not halted our drills in line with boosting security even amid the coronavirus pandemic."
"For the second year in a row, the naval units of Iran Army and the selected naval units of IRGC are hosting vessels from Russia," he said, adding, "Due to the coherent and intensive planning that has been done during the past year, they will execute predetermined scenarios in the days of the drill."
The spokesperson highlighted, "According to the plans that have been made, today we will have the deployment of vessels in the anchorage and the holding of a briefing and coordination meeting."
Tahani said that the message of this exercise for friends is peace and friendship and it invites the countries of the region to cooperate to ensure the security of the region.
He further referred to the predetermined scenarios in this exercise, saying, "Exchange of information and skills development in the field of maritime rescue, various telecommunication and operational exercises, command and control exercises, and the implementation of operations to free commercial vessels from pirates and shooting at air targets at night are among the operations which will be carried out by the naval units of Iran Army, IRGC and Russia."
"Of course, what is important is the interaction of the naval units of Iran Army and IRGC in the field of international seas and the establishment of maritime trade security, and in this exercise, we are witnessing this unity and interaction," he added.
Tahani on Monday said that the joint drill will be held with the slogan "Collective Cooperation at Sea for the Security of Maritime Trade" in a 17,000-kilometer area with a message of peace and friendship.
Earlier, the Deputy Coordinator of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army said that the joint naval drill with Russia demonstrates the naval authority of Iran's Armed Forces.
In late December 2019, Iran, Russia and China held joint naval drills in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman. The maneuvers lasted four days.
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