Iranian Navy Clarifies: Joint Drills with Russia in Indian Ocean, Not Persian Gulf

In a statement on Tuesday, the Iranian Navy’s public relations department said a number of local media outlets have misinterpreted what Commander of the Iranian Navy Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi has said about the venue of an upcoming joint drill with Russia, Tasnim news agency reported.

The statement rejected the “false and incorrect” reports that have quoted Admiral Khanzadi as saying on Monday that Iran and Russia are planned to stage the joint naval drill in the Persian Gulf.

Pointing to a recent meeting between the Navy commanders of Iran and Russia, the statement said the two countries are making arrangements for the drill in northern parts of the Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman.