A fourth Iranian “Friendship Flotilla” has sailed for Russia across the Caspian Sea, docking at a port city in North Caucasus.

The naval group comprising the Damavand destroyer and the Darafsh missile cruiser berthed off the port of Makhachkala, the capital of Russia’s Dagestan Republic, on Thursday.

The vessels were reportedly welcomed and escorted towards the port by the Grad Sviyazhsk, Uglich and Velikiy Ustyug missile corvettes.

The head of the Iranian crewmembers later met with Dagestani officials. They are also to visit Russian naval units in the Caspian and attend cultural events.

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Iran has been tasking such flotillas with friendly visits to Russia since 2014. One such naval group was also sent to Azerbaijan last July on a visit aimed at enhancing bilateral ties with the republic.

Since 2005, Anzali has hosted four Russia naval groups, which had sailed to the Iranian Caspian port in order to friendly bilateral relations, enhancing naval interaction between the two nations, and also sending across the message of peace and amity throughout the waters.