Flotilla Makes Port Call in Kazakhstan

A naval flotilla of Iran's Caspian Sea fleet, including an indigenous destroyer and a missile-launching corvette, berthed at the Kazakh port city of Aktau on Tuesday. The Iranian naval vessels, including Damavand destroyer and Paykan missile-launching corvette, had set sail for Kazakhstan on Saturday to "convey the message of peace and friendship", Tasnim News Agency reported.  Aktau is located in southwest Kazakhstan on the east coast of Caspian Sea. This is the first time an Iranian naval flotilla is visiting Kazakhstan. Iranian naval forces in the Caspian Sea have already paid visits to ports in Russia, the republics of Azerbaijan and Dagestan. Last month, an Iranian flotilla docked at Russia's port city of Makhachkala on a friendly visit. In October 2016, a Russian flotilla of warships arrived in Iran's Caspian Sea territorial waters near the northern port city of Bandar Anzali as part of reciprocal visits.