Russia, China and Iran Begin Trilateral Naval Drills in the Arabian Sea

 

Russia, the People’s Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Iran started naval exercises in the Arabian sea on Wednesday, which is dubbed the "Marine Security Belt 2023."

The naval part of the drills started on Thursday. It will continue until Friday. The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that the trilateral exercises would be represented by the Admiral Gorshkov frigate and a medium-sized tanker. The Chinese People's Liberation Army deployed the destroyer Nanjing and Iran sent the frigates Sakhand, Jamaran and the corvette Bayando.

Marine Security Belt 2023 comes at a time when Moscow aims to expand ties with Beijing and Tehran. Russia aims to increase political, economic and military ties with China and the Islamic Republic of Iran.

According to Russia, Marine Security Belt 2023 started in the vicinity of the Iranian port of Chabahar. During the naval exercise, the ships would carry out artillery firing during the day and at night.

Maritime Security Belt 2023 also includes an active phase from March 16 to 17. According to Russia’s Defense Ministry, the naval exercises will end on March 18 with an overview of the active phase.

According to the Chinese Ministry of National Defence, the exercises would help to deepen practical cooperation with Iran and Russia.

Russia and China also carried out joint naval exercises with South Africa last month. Russian-Chinese-Iranian naval exercises held at least a third joint naval drill in the northern Indian Ocean and the Sea of Oman area since 2019. The three countries have since maintained joint naval drills.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi aims to deepen ties with China and Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin has also sought to ramp up political ties with Iran and China.

John Kirby, the Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House, said that the United States was not concerned by the joint training exercises.