Iran, Russia navy chiefs discuss security of Caspian Sea

TEHRAN,July 8(MNA) – Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari and his Russian counterpart Admiral Viktor Chirkov discussed the security of the Caspian Sea in a meeting in St. Petersburg held on the sidelines of the International Maritime Defense Show from July 3 to 7, according to the public relations department of the Iranian Navy. The two military officials also explored ways of expanding bilateral naval cooperation meant to maintain the security of international shipping lanes. They also talked about the exchange of visits by the two countries’ naval fleets and holding a possible joint naval exercise. On the sidelines of the naval show, Sayyari also met with his German, Greek, Polish, Pakistani, Emirati, and Kuwaiti counterparts to discuss a range of issues, including the security of international waterways and the campaign against piracy and terrorism. The Iranian Navy has announced that it plans to expand its bilateral cooperation with the Russian Navy. An Iranian fleet of warships, comprised of two missile-launching vessels, docked at the Russian port city of Astrakhan on June 27 for a four-day stay. The deputy commander of the Iranian Navy, Rear Admiral Siavash Jareh, said on June 25 that one of the purposes of the mission was to cement relations between Iran and Russia. A detachment of ships of the Russian Pacific Fleet on the way from Vladivostok to the Mediterranean Sea also entered the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas on an unofficial visit on April 20.