“Maritime security is very important in economic and strategic matters, and countries that are genuinely interested in maritime security will have a major impact on world peace,” the Iranian navy Admiral Parviz Salimi Panah said in a radio interview on Tuesday.
He noted that establishing a safe waterway is significant for global trade, adding “Iran and Russia are seeking measures to increase security for shipping lines.”
The navy admiral stressed that maritime security requires a collective approach, adding “the closer countries bring themselves to this approach and contribute to maritime security, the more effective it will be; hence, Russia’s presence will certainly be very effective.”
On Monday, Iran and Russia, for the first time in the history of their relations, signed an agreement on maritime defense cooperation. The agreement was signed between Commander of the Iranian Army’s Navy Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi and Russian Navy’s Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Nikolai Yevmenov.
The two sides also highlighted the need for preserving the security of the Caspian Sea through collective efforts of all littoral states.
Khanzadi had also announced earlier an agreement for joint naval exercises between Iranian and Russian forces in the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf.
He expressed hope that the joint exercises would take place in the next few months.
- source : Mehrnews
