Image Credits - Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP
In a move that could further reshape geopolitical dynamics in the Middle East, China has declared plans to hold joint naval exercises with Iran and Russia in the upcoming weeks. This announcement comes amidst accelerating tensions in the region, marked by a series of strikes and counter-strikes involving Iranian-backed Houthi militias and U.S. forces.
Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, commander of Iran’s navy, was quoted by Iranian and Russian media confirming the upcoming drills. As per the reports, the exercises are scheduled to take place before the end of March and are intended to bolster “regional security.”
Iran’s Tasnim news agency, which described the drills as a “war game,” reported that several other countries have been invited to participate in the exercise. However, specific details regarding the participating countries and the exact location of the drills were not disclosed in the initial reports.
Last year, the navies of China, Iran, and Russia conducted trilateral exercises in the Gulf of Oman, signalling growing cooperation among the three countries in maritime security affairs. The decision to conduct joint drills once again emphasizes the deepening strategic ties between Beijing, Tehran, and Moscow.
The timing of these manoeuvres is significant, given the volatile situation in the Middle East, amidst the escalating tensions the Middle East. The Islamic Republic News Agency of Iran reported first on the joint exercise with China and Russia in December. However, at that time Irani did not describe when drills would take place. As stated by the Iranian commander Pakistan, Brazil, Oman, India, and South Africa were amongst the invited countries as observers.
The ‘Security Bond – 2023’ involved live fire suppression and strike precision and it also ran for at least five days. Anti-terrorism and anti-piracy training were also conducted by the navies which also included a simulated rescue mission to a hijacked merchant ship. Armed with hypersonic missiles, the light frigate Jamaran of Iran and the Russian frigate Admiral Gorshkov were also part of the exercise.
The prospect of China, Iran, and Russia conducting joint naval drills is likely to draw attention and scrutiny from other global powers. China and Russia have not any formal announcement on this year’s drill.
As tensions continue to simmer in the region, the upcoming naval exercises raise questions about the future trajectory of geopolitics in the Middle East and the role of emerging powers in shaping regional dynamics.