TEHRAN -- Russia, Iran and China will hold joint maritime drills in the Persian Gulf around late 2021 or early 2022, Moscow’s ambassador to Tehran has said, the RIA news agency reported on Monday.

The exercises involving naval vessels from the three countries will be focused on shipping security and combating piracy, Levan Dzhagaryan was quoted as saying.

In an interview with Sputnik, Ambassador Dzhagaryan also said following the lifting of the UN arms embargo on Iran, Moscow and Tehran plan to engage in a constructive dialogue on an entire range of military products.

"Our defense cooperation with Iran has a rather long history of over 50 years. It is being developed on a mutually beneficial basis, with Russia's strict compliance with its international obligations in the arms trade area. Taking into account the lifting of restrictions, the Russian side is engaged in a constructive dialogue with Iranian partners on the entire range of military products," Dzhagaryan stated.