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22 January 2013 - 23:12

Naval forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Oman have successfully conducted joint rescue and relief drills in Iran’s territorial waters south of Hormuz Island.

“The drills were conducted by selected marine and airborne units of the Iranian and Omani naval forces...in the southern part of Hormuz Island in Iran’s territorial waters,” Captain Ramin Taghipour said on Tuesday.

The captain added that the joint rescue drills were successfully conducted in less than 45 minutes, which meets international standards for such operations.


On Sunday, Oman's naval vessel Nasr al-Bahr docked at Iran's Bandar Abbas port along with a helicopter.

Tehran and Muscat have agreed to carry out joint naval drills every year, which aim to enhance the two countries' readiness for providing relief aid and conducting rescue operations, boost regional cooperation, and pave the way for the exchange of experiences.

Iran and Oman staged joint naval relief and rescue drills in February 2011. Four Omani vessels, two fighter jets and one maritime helicopter as well as four Iranian naval ships participated in the drill.

Iran's Navy has been also multiplying its naval presence in the international waters since 2011, deploying vessels to the Indian Ocean and dispatching two ships via the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean for the first time in February 2011.

The Islamic Republic has extended a public invitation to the regional states to conduct joint naval drills with Iranian forces.
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News ID 184026