Russia marks Navy's 325th anniversary, Iranian ship joins in

Russia has marked the 325th anniversary of the founding of its navy with ship parades at major ports

MOSCOW -- Russia marked the 325th anniversary of the founding of its navy with ship parades at major ports on Sunday. Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the main parade of more than 50 vessels in St. Petersburg, which included ships from the navies of Iran, Pakistan and India. The Iranian frigate Sahand, which sailed down the Neva River in the parade, and the sea-based vessel Makran attracted attention from naval observers due to their unusually long voyages to Russia. Parades also took place in the Russian naval bases of Severomorsk, Caspiisk, Baltiisk, Sevastopol, Vladivostok and at the Russian naval base in Tartus, Syria.