Baku, Azerbaijan, May 15
By Fatih Karimov - Trend:
Iran is negotiating with Russia to buy military equipment, the Iranian Navy Deputy Commander Rear Admiral Gholam Reza Bigham said.
The Iranian navy has announced its requirements to the Russian side, Bigham said, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported May 15.
The issue of military equipment in Russia is under supervision of the country's defense ministry, Bigham said, adding the defense ministers of the two countries are considering the issue.
Referring to a recent meeting between navy commanders of the Caspian Sea littoral states, he said that ensuring security at the sea, carrying out rescue operations and exchange of information and experience between the navies of the littoral countries were discussed at the meeting.
On the sidelines of the meeting Iran held bilateral talks with some countries such as Russia and in particular Azerbaijan, he said.
The issue of buying military equipment was discussed at the mutual meetings as well, he added.
Tehran is also working with other littoral countries of the Caspian Sea to reach an agreement on joint exercises in the sea, said Bigham.
Last February, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan paid an official visit to Russia to discuss military cooperation. According to media reports, Tehran submitted an $8 billion list of requirements to Moscow that included the high-end Su-30 warplane, Yak-30 training aircraft, military helicopters such as the Mi-8 and Mi-17, K-300 Bastion coastal defense systems, new surface ships, and even new diesel-electric submarines.