Tasnim � Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari highlighted the influence of the Islamic Republic and neighboring Pakistan on regional developments and said the two countries are known as �key players� in the Middle East.

Both Iran and Pakistan are located in the energy zone of the world and this increases their �geopolitical weight�, Rear Admiral Sayyari said in a meeting with a delegation from the Pakistan Navy War College on Wednesday.

�Also the fact that much of the world�s oil exports are transported in the northern Indian Ocean increases the two countries� (geopolitical) weight," he stated.

The commander went on to say that Iran and Pakistan are �key players� in the region given their important geographical location.

He also announced that the Iranian Navy plans to hold joint drills with a naval fleet from the Pakistani army next month.

On September 27, 2016, an Iranian fleet of warships berthed at Pakistan�s southern port city of Karachi to attend a joint naval relief and rescue drill with Pakistani naval forces.

Four vessels and a helicopter attended the drill on behalf of Iran, including Lavan logistic warship, Falakhan and Khanjar missile-launching vessels and Konarak warship.

Also in April 2016, two warships of the Pakistani Navy docked at Iran�s southern port of Bandar Abbas for four days.