Iran, Russia, and China to hold joint military drills

The navies of Iran, Russia, and China will hold military drills off the coast of Iran this week in a bid to boost cooperation, Iranian media reported on Sunday.

The drills “will begin on Tuesday in the port of Chabahar,” located in southeast Iran on the Gulf of Oman, the Tasnim news agency said, without specifying their duration.

According to Tasnim, “warships and combat and support vessels of the Chinese and Russian naval forces, as well as the warships of Iran’s naval forces of the army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” are expected to participate.

The exercises will take place “in the northern Indian Ocean” and aim to “strengthen security in the region, and expand multilateral cooperation between participating countries,” Tasnim said.

Beijing’s defense ministry said on the WeChat social media network that China will deploy “a destroyer and a supply ship.”

The Iranian army conducted drills in the same area in February to “strengthen defense capabilities against any threat.”