Iran Keen to Hold Further Military Drills with Oman

“Mechanisms should be developed so that interaction and cooperation increase in fields such as holding joint ground, air and sea drills,” the second-in-command of the Iranian Army, Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan, said on Wednesday.

He made the remarks during a meeting with an Omani delegation headed by the commander of the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), Air Vice-Marshal Matar bin Ali al-Obaidani, in Tehran.

Pourdastan said Tehran and Muscat enjoyed close relations and expressed hope that the visit by the Omani delegation would pave the way for extensive and deep-rooted cooperation and interaction between the Armed Forces of Iran and Oman.

Iran and Oman have so far held several naval search and rescue drills aimed at enhancing readiness for providing relief services, conducting rescue operations and exchanging experience.

Back in April, the two countries launched joint search and rescue drills in the eastern parts of the Strait of Hormuz and the northern parts of the Indian Ocean.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the Iranian commander praised the Islamic Republic’s defense capabilities, saying the country’s military might strips enemies of the courage to launch any act of military aggression against the country.

Pourdastan stressed that Iran’s military prowess was based on the doctrine of deterrence not aggression.

He also underscored the need for countries of the region to boost cooperation for the sake of regional security.

Regional countries, without the presence of foreigners, can address and resolve their problems and differences through dialogue and interaction, and they are capable of establishing peace in the region without any foreign assistance, he noted.