Russia to hold naval drills with Azerbaijan in September

Russia’s defence ministry said on Tuesday it would hold naval drills in the Caspian Sea with small missile and artillery ships from Iran, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in early September.

The ministry announced in a statement on Tuesday that it would hold the drills with small missile and artillery ships from Iran, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan in early September.

Last week, a high-ranking Russian Navy commander said all naval exercises jointly planned with Iranian forces will take place as scheduled.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the deep diving competitions of the International Army Games 2021 in the southeastern Iranian port of Konarak on August 24, Deputy Commander in Chief of the Russian Navy Vladimir Lvovich Kasatonov pointed to the close coordination and constant contacts between the Russian and Iranian navies.

He said Moscow and Tehran will hold all of the joint naval exercises that have been planned.

The vice-admiral also said that diving competitions underway in Iran send the message of peace, and are aimed at boosting the capabilities of naval forces in rescue and relief operations in international waters.

The International Military Deep Diving Competitions 2021 are being held with the participation of diving teams from Iran, China, Russia, Venezuela, India, and Syria in southeastern Iran, and will continue until September 5, 2021. The tournament reportedly kicked off on August 23.