Iran expects to complete construction of a new submarine for its Caspian fleet by the second quarter of next year, the News.Az outlet reported.

According to the news agency, the 50-meter-long submarine is being built in collaboration with a Chinese company at the Anzali shipyard. There were no details about the boat’s weapons systems.

The boat will be operated by the Corps of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution.

Last month, the Caspian Five countries (Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan) saw significant progress during a round of talks on the settlement of the legal status of the Caspian Sea.

The Caspian Sea is the largest landlocked body of water in the world. Large fishery resources, as well as vast oil and gas deposits have made the sea a subject of heated territorial disputes.

For decades, the inland sea was the exclusive domain of the USSR and Iran, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union new players emerged to claim an interest in the region. Since 1992, the Caspian Five have been engaged in negotiations related to the demarcation of rights in the sea.

File Photo: 120-ton Ghadir Class Submarine, Iranian Navy