Rear Admiral Shahram Irani arrived in St. Petersburg on Sunday evening, where he was welcomed at Pulkovo International Airport by Iran’s Ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, and Vice Admiral Vladimir Zemtsov, Deputy Commander of the Russian Navy.

During his stay, Rear Admiral Irani is scheduled to meet with the Commander of the Russian Navy, attend the Caspian Sea Naval Commanders Summit, and hold bilateral meetings with the naval chiefs of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan.

He will also visit several naval bases in the Gulf of Finland, the flagship frigate Admiral Grigorovich, and the Russian Naval Museum.

The Iranian and Russian navies have maintained close cooperation in recent years. Every year, Russian naval authorities invite Iranian naval commanders to attend the country’s Navy Day ceremonies.

The most recent joint exercise between the two countries — the Caspian Sea Combined Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise 2025 (CASAREX 2025) — was held from July 20 to 22, 2025, under the motto “Together for a Safe and Secure Caspian Sea.” The drill was hosted by Iran’s Northern Fleet Command with the participation of vessels from both nations.

Additionally, the seventh Maritime Security Belt Combined Exercise took place in March 2025 in the northern Indian Ocean, involving naval units from Iran’s Army and IRGC, as well as warships from Russia and China, with several other countries attending as observers.