Naval forces from both nations will participate in a three-day maritime rescue and relief exercise named "Caspian Sea Security Exercise 2025"

Iran and Russia are set to hold a joint naval drill in the Caspian Sea next week, further strengthening their maritime cooperation in the strategically important inland body of water. The exercise, officially titled Caspian Sea Security Exercise 2025 and codenamed “CASAREX 2025,” is scheduled to begin on Monday and will span three days.

The Iranian Navy’s Northern Fleet will host the drill, which is aimed at enhancing coordination among regional naval forces in response to maritime emergencies. The core theme of the exercise is "Together for a Safe and Secure Caspian Sea."

Participating forces will include the Iranian Navy, the naval division of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran’s national law enforcement forces, and members of the Russian Navy. Observers from several other Caspian Sea littoral states are also expected to attend, reflecting a broader regional interest in collaborative maritime preparedness.

According to Iranian naval officials, the primary focus of the drill will be maritime rescue and relief operations. The exercise is designed to improve the participating forces' ability to respond to potential natural disasters, shipwrecks, and other maritime emergencies that may arise in the region. Emphasis will be placed on coordinated navigation, information sharing, and joint operational strategies.

This joint initiative also seeks to reinforce peace and stability in the Caspian Sea region, a geopolitically sensitive area bordered by Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan. With increasing economic and strategic interest in the Caspian’s waters—particularly in energy transport and resource extraction—regional maritime security has become a growing concern for all bordering nations.

Officials from both Iran and Russia have emphasized the importance of such collaborative drills in building trust and operational synergy among naval forces. They believe that regular joint exercises not only strengthen bilateral defense relations but also pave the way for broader regional engagement and mutual understanding.

While the drill is primarily focused on humanitarian and safety operations, it also serves as a platform to display the evolving naval capabilities of both nations and to highlight their shared strategic interests in the Caspian basin.

The upcoming CASAREX 2025 is part of a broader trend of increasing military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, which in recent years has expanded across multiple defense sectors. As geopolitical dynamics shift in the region, both countries appear eager to project stability and influence through coordinated naval initiatives such as this one.