Iran, Russia launch joint naval drill

Iranian and Russian naval forces launched a joint maritime drill in the Caspian Sea on Monday, Tasnim news agency reported.

The three-day exercise, CASAREX2025, is hosted by Iran's Northern Fleet, and includes vessels from both navies. Representatives from several Caspian littoral states attended as observers.

Mohsen Razzaqi, spokesman of the exercise, said the drill features onshore and offshore phases, its objectives including promoting cooperation and coordination among littoral states, and ensuring the safety of commercial vessels.

He added that the navy of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, which operates independently of the regular navy, and the Iranian police were also taking part in the drill.