Joint Iranian-Russian naval drill recreates ship liberation in Gulf of Oman PHOTO

Special forces units of the Iranian Navy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and the Russian Navy have successfully carried out a joint exercise simulating the liberation of a seized vessel in the Gulf of Oman.

As part of the combined naval drills, shipborne and aviation units, alongside special operations forces, practised the scenario of retaking a captured ship, Caliber.Az reports, citing Iranian media.

Following a distress signal from commercial vessels, the MRCC coordination centre at Bandar Abbas preliminarily surveyed the operational area using an SH-3D helicopter from the Iranian Navy and a Bell 412 helicopter from the IRGC. The Iranian Navy destroyer Alvand, serving as the flagship for the exercise, then directed nearby combat vessels to the operation zone.

Special forces from the Iranian Army and the IRGC, together with Russian naval special units, executed the ship liberation operation both from air and sea. After detaining the simulated “pirates,” the exercise was successfully concluded.

The drills come amid continuing tensions in relations with the United States.

By Jeyhun Aghazada