TEHRAN- The commanders of the navies of Venezuela and South Africa on Sunday expressed desire to strengthen defense relations with Iran.

Vice-Admiral Monde Lobese, chief of the South African Navy, underlined his nation’s willingness in enhancing cooperation between the two nations’ naval forces in a meeting with Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani in the Russian port city of Saint Petersburg.

Navy chiefs from certain countries, including Iran, South Africa and Venezuela, had visited Saint Petersburg, where Russia holds annual naval parades on the final Sunday of July to celebrate the country’s naval victory against Sweden in the 1714 Battle of Gangut.

For his part, Lobese emphasized that “all Iranian military and non-military vessels are welcome in South Africa’s waters and ports.”

For his part, Irani thanked Africa for receiving the 86th flotilla of warships from the Iranian Navy, which moored in Cape Town as part of its round-the-world voyage.

He also urged his South African counterpart to travel to Iran and participate in naval exercises.

Additionally, in his talks with Admiral Neil Jesus Sanchez, General Commander of the Venezuelan Navy, Admiral Irani praised the military ties between Caracas and Tehran.

For his part, Jesus Sanchez said, “Military cooperation between Iran and Venezuela, especially in the maritime field, is very deep… and is expanding day by day.”

Iranian ambassador Kazem Jalali and military attaché to Moscow Reza Khosarvi Moqaddam also attended the meetings.

On Saturday, Admiral Irani flew to Saint Petersburg to attend events commemorating Russian Navy Day.

In the meantime, the Iranian Navy’s Caspian force dispatched two warships of Kaman-class to Russia to participate in the naval parades held annually on the final Sunday of July.

President Vladimir Putin attended the naval ceremony to honor the sailors.

On the sidelines of the event, the Iranian Navy commander met with a number of his foreign counterparts.

An Iranian flotilla, comprising the Sahand destroyer and the Makran forward base ship, also took part in the Russian naval parade in Saint Petersburg in July 2021.

With the aim of enhancing the security of global maritime trade, combating piracy and maritime terrorism, exchanging information in naval rescue and relief operations, and exchanging operational and tactical experiences, Iranian and Russian naval forces have recently participated in a number of joint war games.