Iranˈs Fleet In Russia To Promote Peace, Stability In Caspian Sea Region

Tehran, July 1, IRNA – Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said Monday that presence of Iranˈs fleet in Russian Astrakhan port was to promote peace and stability in the Caspian Sea region. The port of Astrakhan locates in southern European Russia and lies on two banks of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea. The Joshan (Shield) and Peykan (Arrow) vessels which docked in the Russian port for four days on Friday would return to the Iranian northern port of Anzali Monday evening and would be officially welcomed by Iranian naval forces Thursday morning, the rear admiral told IRNA. He added that the two vessels carried the message of peace and friendship from the Iranian nation to Russia and other littoral states of the Caspian Sea. This was the first time that Iranian Navy vessels were dispatched to Russia to boost marine relations with Moscow and promote peace and friendship among all the five Caspian Sea littoral states. While in Astrakhan, crews of the two Iranian warships met Russian sailors in order to share expertise and exchange views with them. They also attended sport games with their Russian counterparts. Sayyari further said that he would depart for the Russian port of Saint-Petersburg Monday evening upon an invitation by the Russian Navy. Saint-Petersburg is the marine capital of Russia. The Saint-Petersburg port is the European gateway of the country, the most important transport link between the East and the West. While in Saint-Petersburg, Sayyari said he is to attend an exhibition of the latest Russian marine achievements. He said presence of Iranˈs fleets in the countryˈs northern and southern waters took place upon an order by the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to demonstrate the power of the Iranian Navy. He announced that the 26th Navy fleet, recently dispatched to the Gulf of Aden, would go to the port of Salalah in Oman and then proceed to Djibouti in the Horn of Africa. The Gulf of Aden is located in the Arabian Sea between Yemen, on the south coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and Somalia in the Horn of Africa./end