Iran Conducts Joint SAR Exercise With Oman

Iran has concluded an annual search and rescue joint exercise with Oman. These exercises reflect the cooperation which takes place between the two nations which operate the Traffic Separation Scheme in the Straits of Hormuz, and the need to practice drills in case of emergencies in the crowded waters of the Straits.

The Iranian Moudge Class frigate IRINS Jamaran (F76) and the Sina Class fast attack craft IRINS Zereh (P235) took part in the exercise, which was conducted in Omani waters. 

IRINS Jamaran (Mohammad Sadegh Heydari / CC BY 3.0)

IRINS Jamaran docked in Muscat only days ago on its return from a four-month deployment to the Red Sea as the flagship of the 98th Flotilla. Two IRGC Navy Hendijan Class patrol boat boats also participated in the exercise, alongside units of the Omani Navy and police search and rescue helicopters. 

While the exercise at sea was ongoing, a counter-terrorism exercise took place on land at the Jebel Akhdar training area, involving special force troops from the Iranian Army’s 65th Airborne brigade based at Mehrabad International Airport. The  65th Airborne Brigade suffered heavy casualties and played a critical role in defeating the communist insurgency in Dhofar in the early 1970s.