Senior Iranian and Omani military officials in a meeting in Muscat discussed broadening of defense cooperation, Fars News Agency (FNA) reported.

During the meeting in the Omani capital on Sunday night, Deputy Chief-of-Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces for International Relations Brigadier General Qadir Nezami and his Omani counterpart Brigadier General Hamad Rashed al-Baluchi explored avenues for bolstering and reinvigorating military and defensive relations.

The senior Iranian and Omani military officials underlined the need for expanding naval cooperation between the two countries.

In relevant remarks on Sunday, a senior Iranian Navy Commander announced that Iran and Oman were preparing to hold joint rescue and relief drills in the Indian Ocean.

“The five-day joint rescue and relief maneuvers will be held in the Southern waters and Northern part of the Indian Ocean,” Commander of Iran’s First Naval Zone Admiral Hossein Azad.

On Saturday, Iranian Navy flotilla left Iran’s Bandar Abbas port for Oman to attend a joint naval drill with that country’s naval forces in the South Sea and North of Indian Ocean.

Admiral Azad referred to the heavy traffic of ships in the South Sea and the Indian Ocean and highlighted their roles in improving the conditions of maritime economy.

Admiral Azad noted that providing security of the ships and preparing their rescue is necessary.

“This year, Oman hosts one-week long joint maritime rescue drill in the South Sea and the Indian Ocean, aimed at providing security of the region,” he said.

The official said that the Iranian flotilla, attending the drill, consists of Iran’s Sabalan destroyer, Lavan logistic warship, SH3D helicopter and Falakhen navy ship with the capacity of 1,000 crew members.

In a relevant in early March, the 45th flotilla of Iranian Navy warships, recently sent for mission in the open seas, berthed in the Omani port of Salalah.

The 45th fleet of warships which is on its way towards the Gulf of Aden, was comprised of Destroyer Naqdi and Tonb logistic warship.

This is the first mission for the Iranian destroyer after being overhauled by Iranian experts and relaunching operation as part of the country's naval fleet in the international waters.

The Iranian Navy’s 44th flotilla of warships returned home on Saturday morning after a five-month mission in the high seas and foiling pirate attacks in Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The 44th fleet of Iran's Navy, comprising Alvand and Bushehr warships, ended its 150-day mission on Saturday morning by berthing at the coast of Iran's port city of Bandar Abbas.

In mid-February, Iranian Navy’s 44th flotilla of warships repulsed pirates’ massive attack on one of the country's cargo vessels in free waters after fierce clashes.

A total of 11 pirate boats attacked an Iranian cargo ship in Bab al-Mandab Strait and tried to hijack it, but they received a harsh response from Iran’s 44th fleet of warships that had rushed to the trade vessel’s rescue.

Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari announced in November that his forces deployed in the high seas had escorted 3,844 cargo ships and oil tankers so far.