Capitals: Agencies
The press service of the Russian Caspian Flotilla announced in a statement that the ships of the Russian Navy and the Iranian Navy carried out joint patrols in the Caspian Sea.
The statement read: "The joint Russian-Iranian naval patrol in the Caspian Sea has been completed. The Caspian Flotilla of the Russian Navy was represented by the small artillery ships of Project 21630 "Volgodonsk" and "Astrakhan". From the side of the Navy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the patrol ship "Shahed Nazir", the missile boat "Joshan" and the destroyer "Dilaman" participated."

During the joint patrols in the northern and central parts of the Caspian Sea, Russian and Iranian sailors were able to solve the problems of protecting the main sea communications, controlling shipping and combating piracy.

The press service also explained that within 24 hours, the elements of joint maneuver, defense and protection of a detachment of warships during sea crossing were put in place with a sequential transfer of control from the Russian side to representatives of the Iranian Navy and vice versa.
At the end of the patrol on Thursday, the crews of the Russian and Iranian ships performed farewell rituals in opposite lanes, then returned to their home bases.

Last Tuesday, the Russian Defense announced the start of naval exercises for four of its fleets with the participation of more than 300 ships, boats and submarines and 20,000 personnel.

The Russian Defense Ministry indicated that "the main goal of the exercises is to verify the performance of the Navy's military command and control bodies at all levels, as well as the readiness of ship crews, naval aviation units and coastal forces to carry out the tasks assigned to them."