Kuwait’s Prime Minister and Chairman of the Supreme Defense Council Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Thursday chaired a meeting of the Council amid rising regional tensions over neighboring Iran.
The Council discussed the main developments at the regional and international levels and reviewed the readiness of all relevant authorities in the country, emphasizing the need for high level coordination among them.
The important meeting comes amid a major US military build-up in the region and repeated US threats to attack Iran if ongoing negotiations between the two countries fail, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.
Meanwhile, Undersecretary of Kuwait National Guard Lt General Hamad Al-Barjas emphasized the importance of security vigilance and adherence to security instructions to maintain Kuwait’s security and stability. The statement came during a visit on Thursday by Barjas to members of the National Guard.
Kuwait last month resumed the monthly trial of its siren system which can be used to caution the public against imminent dangers. US media also reported that Iran and the United States edged closer toward armed conflict as negotiations between the two sides stalled. Iran has repeatedly threatened to strike US targets in the Arab Gulf countries.
In another development, the joint naval exercise of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy and the Russian Federation Navy has concluded with the departure of the Russian Navy’s helicopter carrier
The joint drills between the naval forces of Iran and Russia were held with the aim of strengthening bilateral cooperation, enhancing maritime security, and increasing operational coordination between the two forces, according to Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).
Meanwhile, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani held Saturday separate meetings with Senior Naval Commanders from Russia, Saudi Arabia, and Myanmar on the sidelines of the MILAN 2026 international naval exercise in India, stressing the need to strengthen bilateral and multilateral maritime cooperation.
The meetings took place in the port city of Visakhapatnam, India, where Rear Admiral Irani met Commander‑in‑Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Aleksandr Alekseyevich Moiseyev, Commander of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces Vice Admiral Mohammad Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Gharibi, and Commander of Myanmar’s Navy Admiral Htein Win.
The discussions focused on expanding professional naval interactions, including joint exercises, exchange of training delegations, and enhanced use of technical and operational capacities. The military officials underlined the strategic role of seas and maritime routes in economic development and sustainable security.
Issues such as counter‑piracy operations, protection of maritime lines of communication, search and rescue missions, and maritime crisis management were also discussed.
Rear Admiral Irani said Iran supports collective maritime security and regional cooperation, describing multinational naval drills as an effective platform for confidence‑building, operational coordination, and experience sharing among navies.
He reaffirmed the Iranian Navy’s readiness to expand professional engagement and actively participate in joint maritime initiatives.
The MILAN 2026 exercise, one of the world’s major multilateral naval events, brings together naval task groups, vessels and military delegations from numerous countries with the aim of enhancing maritime cooperation and security in international waters. (KUNA; IRNA; Photo © KUNA)
