Rear Admiral Mostafa Tajeddini, the spokesperson for the joint military exercise, said that according to the planned scenario, the naval and aerial units of the three countries practiced rescuing two merchant ships hijacked by pirates in international waters.
He said that during the drills, after an SOS message was sent to the Chabahar Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre (MRCC), a reconnaissance and search operation was carried out by a SH3D helicopter of the Iranian Navy and then the Sahand destroyer of the Navy was sent to the area for the rescue operation.
He added that special forces of the Iranian Navy and Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) as well as those from Russia and China conducted rappel operations, descending on the deck of the hijacked vessels, detaining the pirates, and rescuing the ship.
The forces participating in the joint naval maneuver also successfully carried out day and night live-fire drills, Rear Admiral Tajeddini went on to say.
The Maritime Security Belt-2024 naval drills kicked off on Tuesday. The naval and airborne units of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy and the IRGC, together with their Chinese and Russian counterparts, are participating in the exercises.
Naval delegations from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan, and South Africa have taken part in the drills as observers.
The operational phases of the Maritime Security Belt- 2024 took place in the North Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman.
SD/TSN
