Iranian Navy kicks off two-day annual military drills in Caspian Sea

Iran’s Deputy Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hamzeh Ali Kaviani said on Friday that the military exercises, codenamed “Sustainable Security 1401,” are held every year by the country’s naval forces.

He said various surface and airborne units of the Navy, including ship-based missile launchers, helicopters, and sea-based drones and electronic warfare systems, as well as marine and ranger units of the Navy are participating in the maritime exercise.

The commander said the drills are held at three levels of water, land, and air with the purpose of assessing the performance of systems and preparedness of the naval forces in the Caspian Sea.

Describing the Caspian Sea as the sea of peace and friendship for the neighboring countries, Kaviani said, “We will not allow anyone to disrupt order and security of this sea.”

Iran has been engaged in an untiring push to reconcile the level of its defensive power with the gravity of the threats that are poised to it on the part of its enemies, most notably the United States and its regional and extra-regional allies.

Relying on indigenous knowhow and equipment, the Islamic Republic has developed its military power into a state-of-the-art and effective defensive machine that is in the service of the country.

The Iranian Navy also held extensive and diversely-faceted maneuvers, codenamed “Sustainable Security 1400,” in the Caspian Sea in June 2021.

The event saw Navy marines and commandos practicing intrusion into maritime areas while supported by Bell 212 helicopters and missile cruisers. The operation featured an emphasis on accurate intelligence-gathering measures and the application of radar-jamming devices.

The Islamic Republic’s military doctrine holds that the country’s armed capability solely serves defensive purposes and poses no threat to other states.