*TEHRAN – Deputy Chief of Iran’s Army for Coordination Rear AdmiralHabibollah Sayyari hailed the country’s growing military ties withneighboring Pakistan and called for joint drills between the armed forcesof the two nations.*

Speaking at a meeting with Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) AdmiralZafar Mahmood Abbasi in Tehran on Tuesday, Rear Admiral Sayyari said Iranand Pakistan share many historical and religious commonalities, Tasnim NewsAgency has reported.

He further emphasized that the two countries can boost cooperation invarious fields, including border security, and stage joint ground, aerial,and maritime drills.

The Pakistani navy commander, for his part, said Islamabad believes thatthe level of its bilateral relations with Tehran should be elevated.

The Iranian and Pakistani navies have held several joint drills in recentyears.

A Pakistani flotilla comprising Navy ships Tippu Sultan and PNS Jurrat anda chopper and the Iranian Navy’s Jamaran Destroyer as well as amissile-launching frigate and a helicopter took part in joint navalexercises near southern Iranian waters in March 2017.