TEHRAN (FNA)- A fleet of Russian warships docked in the Caspian Sea port of Anzali in Northern Iran on Tuesday as part of the two countries' efforts to widen their existing military cooperation.

The Russian fleet, carrying a massage of �peace and friendship�, was welcomed by Iranian naval commanders and staff, officials said.


The commander of the fleet is scheduled to meet with local political and military officials in Northern Gilan province.


At a ceremony to welcome the Russian navies to Iran, senior Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Afshin Rezayee Haddad said the visit comes routine as Iranian and Russian warships pay reciprocal visits to each other's ports.


In late October 2015, Iran's second fleet of warships, including a home-made destroyer, returned to the country's territorial waters after a voyage to Russia.


"The Iranian fleet of warships comprising Joshan (Shield) and Peykan (Arrow) warships and the hi-tech Damavand destroyer which embarked on a 12-day voyage in the Caspian Sea on October 18 and after conducting joint naval drills with the Russian Navy and berthing at Russia's Astrakhan port returned home today," Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told FNA.


In early August 2015, another Russian fleet berthed in Anzali port.


Also in October 2015, another Russian fleet berthed in Northern Iran and left the Iranian port for Azerbaijan on October 15 of that year.


Russia's Ambassador to Tehran Levan Jagarian, who attended the ceremony, called for boosting mutual ties between the two countries in various fields.


Russian Consul General in Iran's Northern city of Rasht Maxim Baranov also said that expanding bilateral economic, political and military cooperation is among the priorities of the visit.


In 2013, the Russian ships and the ships of other Caspian states exchanged friendly visits four times. The Iranian ships visited Astrakhan and Russia�s Volga region in August 2013.


By Fars News Agency