TEHRAN, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The naval forces of Iran and Russia are scheduled to hold a joint drill on Thursday in the Gulf of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported Wednesday.

Hassan Maqsoudlou, the drill's spokesman, said the drill aims to improve maritime security, expand cooperation between the two countries' navies, and improve coordination in joint operations, Mehr reported.

Maqsoudlou noted that protecting commercial vessels and oil tankers, as well as fighting maritime terrorism, are among the key focuses of the drill, which reflects the growing role of regional countries in ensuring maritime security and their commitment to countering unilateralism, the report said.

Russian Navy Force Commander Alexey Sergeev highlighted the "friendly and close" relations between Moscow and Tehran, saying the two countries are capable of addressing "many of the maritime and coastal problems and challenges" through cooperation, the report added.

According to Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, the drill will involve vessels from the Iranian Navy and the naval forces of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), as well as Russian Navy's Steregushchiy-class corvette Stoikiy.

The drill is set to take place amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, with a U.S. military buildup in the region.

On Tuesday, the IRGC Navy temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz during the second day of its drills in the strategic waterway, Iranian media reported. ■