Commander of Iran's First Naval Zone Admiral Hossein Azad said told reported on
Sunday morning that "the Chinese Navy fleet, which had moored at Bandar Abbas on
Thursday, just began its joint military exercise with vessels of the Iranian
Navy in waters of Islamic Republic of Iran.”
"The joint naval game is being held at the Strait of Hormuz where both sides
present their military capabilities and share experiences,” noted the official.
Azad reiterated that the drill aims at transfer of naval knowhow and experiences
in military and defense arenas.
Comprising Chang Chun destroyer, Chao Hu replenishment, Jin Zhou frigate and a
helicopter, the Chinese fleet is staying in Iranian southern port of Bandar
Abbas aiming to strengthen friendly relations between Tehran and Beijing as well
as to promote maritime collaborations.
In recent years, Iran has made major breakthroughs in its defense sector and
attained self-sufficiency in the production of important military equipment and
systems.
The country has also conducted major military drills to enhance the defense
capabilities of its Armed Forces and to test modern military tactics and
state-of-the-art equipment, according to Press TV.
The Islamic Republic maintains that its military might poses no threat to other
countries, and that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence.
Iran and China held the first joint navy drill on September 2014.
SOURCE: Mehr News Agency