Iran holds joint naval drill with Russia amid tensions with U.S.

Iranian and Russian navies staged a joint exercise in the northern Indian Ocean on Thursday, as Washington builds up its military assets in the region, including deploying warships near Iran, despite renewed indirect nuclear negotiations with Tehran.

“The primary objective of the drill is to promote maritime security and sustainable naval interactions in the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean,” said Rear Admiral Hassan Maqsoudlou, spokesman for the exercise, on Wednesday.

The commander of the Russian flotilla, Captain First Rank Alexey Sergeev, stressed the close ties between the two countries, according to the Iranian Army’s website. “The current level of cooperation shows the ability to jointly manage and resolve maritime and coastal challenges,” he was quoted as saying.

Earlier this week, Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards held a two-day naval wargame in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, during which it partially shut the waterway to oil transit traffic.

• Iran stages Hormuz Strait naval drill on eve of nuclear talks with U.S.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has issued a strong warning against the U.S. military build-up in the region. Addressing a public meeting on Tuesday, as Iranian and U.S. nuclear negotiators met indirectly in Geneva, he criticised the U.S. military presence at its bases across the region, including the deployment of two aircraft carriers.

"Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware. However, more dangerous are the weapons that can send the warship to the bottom of the sea," he said.

Another joint drill among Chinese, Iranian, and Russian navies is reportedly scheduled to be staged in late February.

Meanwhile, President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran is committed to the swift and full implementation of the Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Russia, signed in January 2025.

At a meeting with Russian Energy Minister Sergey Tsivilev on Wednesday, the Iranian president said he welcomed several meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin since taking office in 2024.

“All discussions between Iranian and Russian presidents have resulted in key strategic decisions serving the shared interests of both nations and opening new horizons for bilateral ties,” he said.

The Russian minister visited Tehran to co-chair the 19th Session of the Permanent Iranian-Russian Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, held on 16-18 February, which resulted in the signing of one cooperation agreement and four memoranda of understanding.

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