Iran_ Russia plan to hold 2nd naval drills in Indian Ocean

Iran and Russia will soon hold their second naval drills in the northern part of the Indian Ocean in a show of the power of their armed forces_ says a high-ranking Iranian military official.

According to Press TV_ Deputy Commander of the Army for Coordination Affairs Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told on Sunday that the joint drills by Iran and Russia will be held with the goal of expanding security.

He said_  When the powerful Russian Navy conducts maneuvers in conjunction with the Islamic Republic of Iran s Navy and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)_ it carries a clear message.

He added that Navy has reached the  level of world naval powers in terms of equipment_ workforce_ techniques and tactics_ command and control_ communication and access to modern equipment."

The commander said_ Iran has been facing various kinds of threat posed by extra-regional countries since the victory of the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

 Enemies have put forward various plans in this regard_ all of which have failed" due to the Islamic establishment s authority and the Armed Forces deterrent power_ he said.

The drills_ dubbed the  Marine Security Belt exercise_ covered 17_000 square kilometers and consisted of various tactical exercises such as target practicing and rescuing ships from assault and incidents such as fires.

In December 2019_ Iran_ Russia and China staged a four-day joint maritime exercise in the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman area.

Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said the joint naval drills among Iran_ China and Russia reaffirmed the Islamic Republic s resolve to secure vital waterways.

"Our joint military drills in Oman Sea/Indian Ocean w/ our Russian & Chinese partners make clear our broader commitment to secure vital waterways_" Zarif said in a post on his official Twitter account.

In an address to the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) Defense Ministers Conclave in Bangalore earlier this month_ Iran s Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami warned against attempts by outsiders to provoke an arms race in the Indian Ocean and turn it into a weapons stockpile_ saying colonial powers are militarizing the strategic region to sell more arms and advance their own economic interests.