Iranian, Russian, Chinese forces to hold joint naval exercise: Beijing
Iran Press TV
Sunday, 09 March 2025 10:50 AM
A joint naval exercise involving the naval forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Russia, and China is scheduled to be held in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, where the three nations will engage in large-scale maritime operations featuring various divisions of their military forces.
The Chinese Defense Ministry announced in its official Weibo account on Sunday that the naval drill, dubbed the Security Belt-2025, will be staged in areas near Iran's southeastern Chabahar Port in early and mid-March.
The drill will feature training courses, including maritime target strike, VBSS (visit, board, search, and seizure), damage control, and joint search and rescue operations, according to a statement from the ministry.
It aims to deepen military mutual trust and pragmatic cooperation among the participating countries' troops, the statement said.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy will reportedly send a destroyer and a replenishment ship to take part in the joint exercise.
A Chinese expert said the drill will help safeguard security in the strategically important energy shipping region.
The Security Belt-2025 will be the fifth China-Iran-Russia joint naval exercise since 2019.
The Iranian naval forces and their Chinese and Russian counterparts have held several military drills in recent years to enhance the security and stability of international maritime trade.
They have also been involved in joint efforts aimed at countering piracy and maritime terrorism, exchanging information in naval rescue and relief operations as well as sharing operational and tactical experience.
In March 2024, naval and airborne units of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, together with their Chinese and Russian counterparts, participated in the Maritime Security Belt 2024 naval drills.
Naval delegations from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan and South Africa took part as observers in the exercises.
The joint naval drills were meant to beef up security and its fundamentals in the region, enhance multilateral cooperation among the participating countries, and demonstrate the goodwill and ability of the participants to jointly safeguard global peace and maritime security.
The exercises were also intended to strengthen the security of international maritime trade, combat piracy and maritime terrorism, and provide an opportunity for the exchange of information in the field of maritime rescue as well as operational and tactical experiences.
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