Iran, Oman to hold joint rescue, relief drills
Xinhua, April 8, 2017 Adjust font size:
Iran and Oman will hold joint rescue and relief drills in Iran's southern waters and the northern areas of the Indian Ocean, Press TV reported on Saturday.
According to the report, an Iranian naval flotilla, comprising a destroyer, a logistic warship and a helicopter carrier, left Iran for Oman on Saturday to take part in the drills.
"It was imperative to improve security in Iran's southern waters and the Indian Ocean given their geographical significance in maritime economy and busy traffic of ships and oil tankers," Hossein Azad, commander of Iran's First Naval Zone, was quoted as saying.
"The naval forces of the Islamic republic and the neighboring country of Oman will draw plans and stage joint maneuvers to this effect," he added.
Since 2010, naval forces of Iran and Oman have held several joint rescue drills off the coast of their waters.
On Saturday, Iran's Navy also dispatched a flotilla to the Kazakh port city of Aktau for the first time, said Ahmadreza Baqeri, the commander of Iran's fleet of warships in the northern province of Gilan.
The flotilla to Kazakhstan, named Peace and Friendship, consists of a Damavand destroyer and a Peykan missile-launcher destroyer and plans to stay in the central Asian country for three days, he said. Endit