MOSCOW, February 19. /TASS/. The joint naval exercises between Russia and Iran are scheduled events that were arranged prior to the recent escalation in the Middle East, Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov clarified during a news briefing.
"These are planned exercises, and they were agreed upon in advance," Peskov stated when asked whether the drills are connected to the heightened tensions fueled by the United States around Iran.
Today, the Iranian Navy announced the commencement of joint exercises with Russia. These maneuvers occur amid escalating regional tensions, as the United States continues to bolster its forces in the Middle East with increasing reinforcements. According to American media reports, Washington is contemplating a series of strikes aimed at pressuring Tehran into making concessions in ongoing nuclear negotiations. CBS has reported that a US-Israeli strike on Iran is tentatively scheduled for February 21.