Iran’s Naval Drill in 20% of Iran’s Caspian Sea Sovereignty Zone
The Iranian military’s naval exercise “Sustainable Security 98” began in the Caspian Sea with the motto “Ya Hussain.” This drill “was conducted across an area of 25,800 square nautical miles in the region representing 20% of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s sovereignty in the Caspian Sea.
The Iranian military’s naval exercise began on Sunday morning, the 10th of Shahrivar (September 1st). In this drill, various surface and air units of the Navy participated, including destroyers, missile-launching ships, fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, as well as riflemen and scouts from the military’s naval forces.
According to reports from Iranian Islamic Republic media, the Caspian drill “was conducted across an area of 25,800 square nautical miles in the region representing 20% of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s sovereignty in the Caspian Sea.
Given that the maritime borders of this country with Turkmenistan and the Republic of Azerbaijan remain unclear in the southern part of the Caspian Sea, this drill could lead these countries to strengthen their military capabilities and push the Caspian Sea toward militarization.
In recent years, the five coastal countries have expanded their military capabilities. Russia is the strongest coastal power with a capable naval force. This country inherited the naval forces of the former Soviet Union. However, the other three countries—Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan—have also strengthened their military forces in the Caspian following independence. According to some Caspian affairs experts, Iran is considered the second military power in the Caspian.
The issue of Iran’s ownership of the Caspian and this country’s share has repeatedly become a hot topic in Iranian media and social networks.
Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s Foreign Minister, recently responded to this issue saying: “I am pleased that the people are so sensitive about the Caspian Sea. As long as I am alive and in office, I will not allow even a drop of the Caspian Sea water to be taken from us.”
Zarif emphasized: “Those who argue for 50% of the Caspian, during their own government’s rule, Iranian ships would not dare to go beyond Huseynqali-Astara. The Russians recognized the Huseynqali-Astara line as Iran’s border; they were mistaken. Even then, my colleagues in the Foreign Ministry were taking notes and filing protests. I am pleased that the Foreign Ministries, even at that time, did not overlook the national interests.”
However, Manouchehr Mottaki, Iran’s former Foreign Minister during the Ahmadinejad era, had stated regarding Iran’s share of the Caspian Sea that “Iran’s exploitation of the Caspian Sea has never exceeded 11.3% even before the victory of the Islamic Revolution.”
Source: DW
