VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Amid rising tensions between Iran and the United States, Russia has stepped up military cooperation with Iran. In the near future, Tehran and Moscow will conduct joint military exercises in the Persian Gulf region. The Iranian Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi in a statement broadcast by PressTv stated that on the basis of the two governments' agreement, naval joint training would be held later this year. The armed forces leaders of the two countries have signed agreements on joint naval exercises in the Indian Ocean, Makran waters, the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. The joint exercises of the Iranian and Russian navies were the first to be carried out, marking an increase in military cooperation between the two countries.Information about the military cooperation between Iran and Russia, might provoke a reaction from the United States which had previously invited its European allies to increase security in the Gulf region. While the Washington invitation, submitted some time ago, still has not received adequate reactions, Iran and Russia have taken more concrete steps, in the form of signing a joint training agreement.Moscow’s agreement to engage in military cooperation with Iran, however, can be seen as a form of political support for Iran which continues to be under pressure from the United States. So far, Russia and Iran are known to have collaborated militarily in the conflict in Syria. Iran certainly is still waiting for Washington's reaction to this new military collaboration with Russia.For Iran, military cooperation with Russia was clearly carried out as an effort to offset the pressure of the United States. As for Russia, support for Iran can be seen as a step to maintain its position in geopolitics, especially in the Middle East region.