A top Iranian Army commander pointed to “clear messages” of a planned joint naval exercise with Russia in the Indian Ocean, describing efforts to ensure security as the main purpose of the upcoming drill, Tasnim reported.

Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Deputy Army Chief for Coordination, said on Sunday that the Iranian and Russian naval forces were going to hold their second joint drill in Iran’s southern waters.

He said the joint exercise with the powerful naval forces of Russia has a clear message that the Iranian Navy has reached the level of world naval powers in terms of equipment, human forces, techniques and tactics, command and control, as well as modern telecommunication systems.

The war game will be staged with the purpose of ensuring security in north of the Indian Ocean, he added.

In December 2019, Iranian, Russian, and Chinese naval forces held the first ever joint drill in the Gulf of Oman and northern parts of the Indian Ocean, focusing mostly on counterterrorism and antipiracy tactics.