Iran, Oman Stage Naval Drills

Naval forces from Iran and Oman held joint drills in the northern waters of the Indian Ocean to practice maritime rescue and relief operations. An Iranian naval flotilla berthed at Oman's capital and port city of Muscat on Sunday for the joint exercise, Tasnim News Agency reported. Some 1,000 Iranian forces, including divers, took part in the drills on board Sabalan destroyer, Lavan logistic-combat warship, which carries helicopters, an SH3D Sea King helicopter and Falakhan missile-launching corvette. "Following meetings between Iran's Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman to coordinate operations in the joint drills, the two sides practiced different tactics, including maritime rescue and relief operations, escorting trade vessels and oil tankers, maritime fueling, radio communications, rapid reaction to maritime contingencies and rescuing wrecked watercraft and injured sailors," an Iranian commander said. Commander of Iran's First Naval Zone Admiral Hossein Azad had announced on Saturday that this year's joint exercise, hosted by Oman, would last a week.