Baku, Azerbaijan, April 8
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Naval forces of Iran and Pakistan have launched a joint military exercise in eastern part of the Hormuz Strait.
The military exercise is being held at the Iranian southern port of Bandar Abbas, the country's state IRINN TV reported on April 8.
On April 5, a Pakistani fleet including warships and an advanced submarine docked at the Iranian port to launch joint drill with selected units of Iran's Navy.
The military exercise is aimed at promoting military interaction between the two countries.
The joint naval exercise between Iran and Pakistan comes as the Islamic Republic has so far held several naval relief and rescue drills with Oman aimed at enhancing readiness to offer relief services and perform rescue operations as well as upgrading regional cooperation.
Strait of Hormuz is a narrow corridor between Iran and Oman. More than a third of the world's sea borne oil exports pass through the Strait. Western navies, led by the United States, patrol the region to ensure their safe passage.
In recent years, Iran's Navy has increased its presence in the international waters to protect naval routes and provide security for merchant vessels and tankers.
Iranian officials claim that the country's navy has also been conducting patrols in the Gulf of Aden since November 2008 in order to safeguard merchant containers and oil tankers.
Iran's Navy has managed to foil several attacks on both Iranian and foreign tankers during its missions in international waters.