Iran Navy fleet docks at Russia’s Astrakhan port
An Iranian Navy fleet has docked at the southern Russian port city of Astrakhan in a bid to boost friendly maritime ties between the two countries.
The naval fleet, comprised of the domestically-built Damavand destroyer and two missile-armed vessels, dubbed Peykan and Joshan, anchored in Astrakhan on Thursday after three days of sailing.
The fleet aims to convey a message of peace and friendship and boost mutual cooperation aimed at maintaining security in the Caspian Sea.
The Iranian naval forces onboard the fleet plan to meet Russian commanders.
The Iranian fleet will then leave Astrakhan for the port city of Baku in Azerbaijan.
This is the first foreign mission by the Damavand destroyer. It is also the second trip of an Iranian naval fleet to Russia since 2013. Iran’s Navy sent two warships to Russia in June 2013 to consolidate maritime relations between Tehran and Moscow.
In August, two Russian warships -- Volgodonsk and Mahachkala – also arrived in the northern Iranian port city of Anzali for a three-day stay with around 130 personnel on board in a bid to boost friendly maritime ties between the two countries.
Iran’s domestically-built Damavand destroyer
The state-of-the-art Damavand destroyer, equipped with modern radar, electronic and reconnaissance systems, was delivered to the Iranian naval forces stationed in Anzali in March.
In recent years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military equipment and systems.
The Iranian Navy launched its first domestically-built destroyer, Jamaran, in the Persian Gulf in February 2010. The 1,420-ton destroyer is equipped with modern radar systems and other electronic warfare capabilities. It also features highly-advanced anti-aircraft, anti-surface and anti-subsurface systems.
Iran has repeatedly assured other nations, especially its neighbors, that its military might poses no threat to other countries, insisting that its defense doctrine is based on deterrence.
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