Iran Eyes Naval Interaction with S. Africa, Venezuela
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The commander of the Iranian Navy held talks with his South African and Venezuelan counterparts in Russia to weigh plans for the promotion of naval cooperation.
Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, who has traveled to Saint Petersburg to attend ceremonies marking the Day of the Russian Navy, held separate meetings with the navy commanders of South Africa and Venezuela on the sidelines of the event on Sunday evening.
South Africa and Venezuela were among the countries that hosted the Iranian Navy’s 86th flotilla of warships, which returned home in May after sailing around the world by traveling 63,000 kilometers of sea routes over eight months.
In the meetings with the South African and Venezuelan commanders, the Iranian Navy chief weighed plans for the expansion of naval cooperation, holding training courses and joint exercises, hosting events related to sea-based combat, and exchanging naval experiences.
The Day of the Russian Navy, celebrated annually on the last Sunday of July, was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg.
The Iranian Navy’s Caspian Sea fleet has deployed two Kaman-class corvettes to Russia’s port city of Kaspiysk to take part in naval parades on the occasion of the Russian Navy Day.
