The Russian Defense Ministry announced Monday that several of its warships have arrived at the Iranian port of Chabahar in preparation for scheduled naval drills with the Islamic Republic and China. The exercises are planned to run between March 12-15 in the Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea.
The training simulation, named “Maritime Security Belt - 2024,” began in 2019 and has been run annually by the three participants since.
Last year’s maneuvers included formation sailing, all-weather weapons testing, hostage rescue, and anti-piracy instruction.
This year’s event comes when the region is encountering security challenges from Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen who have been engaged in an unrestricted war against civilian shipping near the western Arabian Peninsula. The Houthis have stated that their campaign is in response to the current war against the Hamas terrorist organization in Gaza.
Military representatives from Azerbaijan, India, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan, and South Africa will reportedly be involved as observers.
Related Story: Iran to Join Shanghai Cooperation with China, Russia Soon
