The “2022 Marine Security Belt” exercise, which began on Friday morning, marks the third of such joint exercises between the three countries.

“Together for peace and security” is the theme of the exercise, which covers an area of 17,000 square kilometers and includes both navies from Iran’s Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), as well as the Russian and Chinese naval forces.

A variety of tactical exercises such as rescuing burning vessels, releasing hijacked vessels, shooting at specific targets, shooting at air targets at night, and other tactical and operational exercises were to be carried out during the drills.

Strengthening the security of international maritime trade, combating piracy and maritime terrorism, exchanging intelligence in the field of maritime rescue missions, and exchanging operational and tactical experience are among the objectives of the 2022 Marine Security Belt exercise.

“At this stage of the exercise, the vessels units of Iran, China, and Russia, under the command of the [fully homegrown] Iranian destroyer Jamaran, fired from 20mm caliber weapons at pre-determined surface targets at sea,” Rear Admiral Mostafa Tajoddini, spokesman for the naval drill, said on Friday.

“Also, in the next stage, the ‘PHOTOEX’ exercise, including the formulation and offensive arrangement of the units participating in the exercise, was carried out in accordance with the threats in the region,” he added.

Tajoddi further noted that Iran’s presence in international coalitions manifests the improvement of the Islamic Republic’s status in the world.

He said Iran attaches great importance to the establishment of security at regional and international levels, adding, “That’s why the naval forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran will not allow any threat in the maritime field.”

A day earlier, Tajoddini said the purpose of the drill is to strengthen security in the region, expand multilateral cooperation between the three countries, and create a maritime community with a common future.

Meanwhile, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee said the exercise in the Persian Gulf is a show of force by the regional powers against foreigners.

“Since foreign countries are always looking for insecurity in the region, holding this exercise will definitely send a good message to foreigners,” Fada-Hossein Maleki told Fars news agency.

He warned the Americans and the Zionists that they must not be greedy toward the region’s resources.

The Americans, as usual, have failed by forming a coalition against Iran, Maleki said.

“The Americans formed an alliance with NATO and invaded Iraq and Afghanistan and they have achieved nothing but destruction in the region after almost 20 years. Therefore, these alliances have no place in the region,” the lawmaker said.

“The formation of a naval coalition in the Persian Gulf by the Americans will face the same fate that the previous ones did, because there is a powerful military force in the Persian Gulf like Iran,” he added.

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Earlier in the day, Iran’s regular army announced that the joint exercise, named Maritime Safety Belt, would begin this Tuesday.

“They [the drill] have already begun today,” embassy spokesman Maxim Suslov said, commenting on the matter.

The drill’s goal is to boost the security in the northern segment of the Indian Ocean and expand cooperation between the two countries.

Meanwhile, a Russian flotilla, comprising the Stoiky corvette and KoLa refueling ship, entered Iran’s territorial waters for the 2021 combined naval exercise.

The flotilla was welcomed on Tuesday by two vessels belonging to the navies of the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).

After the welcoming ceremony, Russian commanders were transferred to Shahid Beheshti Port in Chabahar, southeast Iran, where they attended a briefing and coordination meeting.

Admiral Gholamreza Tahani, the spokesman for the naval drill, said during a joint press conference with the commander of the Russian flotilla that the maneuver will be held in an area of 17,000 square kilometers north of the Indian Ocean.

One of the goals of the exercise is to increase the skills of the personnel in naval aid and rescue operations, he added.

During the drill, Tahani further said, the navies of the Iranian Army and the IRGC will interact with each other on the establishment of maritime trade security in international seas and practice command and control operations.

“The most important message of this exercise is peace and friendship for neighboring countries and those in the region,” he said. “Iran, in the 43rd year after the [1979 Islamic] Revolution’s glorious victory, has reached a level of maturity in maritime science and technology that it is hosting world powers a second time for a combined drill.”

Referring to the strategic importance of the North Indian Ocean region, he added, “The North Indian Ocean is one of the most important and strategic waterways in the world and plays an important role in world trade and shipping.”

He cited the security of sea lanes in the northern Indian Ocean as one of the most important goals of the combined exercise, saying, “The security of shipping lines in this region, especially in the area between the Strait of Hormuz, the Malacca Strait and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, guarantees the preservation of economic interests on the world stage, which requires the cooperation and convergence of different navies.”

Stating that the 2021 Iran-Russia  combined naval exercise is of special importance, Tahani said, “Many countries navigate the Oman Sea and the Indian Ocean, which are key areas of world trade, and therefore maintaining maritime security is crucial.”

The spokesperson highlighted that improving combat readiness, achieving collective security, and exchanging experience in the field of counter-terrorism and piracy are important goals of this exercise.

“The training of information and security exchange at sea and rescuing the hijacked ship are among the most important operations which will be carried out in this exercise,” he noted.

Also speaking on Tuesday, Iran’s Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi said the drill is aimed at achieving collective security in the region which will help sustain security in the northern Indian Ocean.

“Since last year, a series of combined maritime security exercises have been held with the participation of regional and world countries …. In the drill, which began today, the Russian Navy has joined the exercise site and the Indian Navy will also participate,” he added.

Iranian-Russian ‘Marine Security Belt’ drills are underway with the slogan “Collective Cooperation at Sea for the Security of Maritime Trade” in a 17,000-kilometer area with a message of peace and friendship.

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The Iranian Army’s press office reported earlier on Monday that Iran and Russia would begin joint naval drills in the northern part of the Indian Ocean on February 16.

“The Iranian-Russian ‘Marine Security Belt’ drills will begin in the northern portion of the Indian Ocean tomorrow,” the press office said in a statement.

A senior Iranian military official said the joint naval drill with Russia is aimed at contributing to maritime security and combating piracy and terrorism.

The spokesperson of the joint Iranian-Russian naval drill Rear Admiral Gholamreza Tahani on Monday said that the joint drill will be held with the slogan “Collective Cooperation at Sea for the Security of Maritime Trade” in a 17,000-kilometer area with a message of peace and friendship.

“In addition to surface and flight units of the Iran Army Navy and IRGC Navy, Russian floating units consisting of the Stoiky destroyer, a KoLa logistics ship and a helicopter are present at the exercise,” he added.

The spokesperson highlighted, “The purpose of holding this exercise is to strengthen security and its foundations in the region and to expand bilateral cooperation between the two countries.”

“A variety of tactical exercises such as rescuing a floating vessel from fire, releasing an attacked vessel, shooting at specific targets, shooting at air targets at night, and other tactical and operational exercises are foreseen in this exercise,” Rear Admiral Tahani said.

“The strengthening of the security of international maritime trade, combating piracy and maritime terrorism, exchanging information in the field of maritime rescue, as well as exchanging operational and tactical experiences are the objectives of the exercise,” he noted.

Earlier, the Deputy Coordinator of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Army said that the joint naval drill with Russia demonstrates the naval authority of Iran’s Armed Forces.

In late December 2019, Iran, Russia and China held joint naval drills in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman. The maneuvers lasted four days.

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The long-range ballistic missiles were launched on the second day of the Great Prophet 15 war games held in the central deserts of Iran and destroyed hypothetical warships north of the Indian Ocean.

Several missiles of various long-range classes, including Qadir, Sejjil, and Emad, were reportedly test-fired on Saturday.

The key point about the Saturday launches was that the Iranian military, for the first time, showcased its capability of destroying targets at very long ranges in a military drill. Previously, the missiles test-fired in the drills hit targets at a maximum range of 300 kilometers.

Major General Mohammad Baqeri, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, referred to the same point on the sidelines of the drills and said choosing targets at ranges beyond 1,800 kilometers south of the Sea of Oman and north of the Indian Ocean is a meaningful move.

“Choosing a barrage of long-range missiles against naval targets illustrates that if the enemies of the Islamic Republic have ill intentions against our national interests, maritime trade routes, and territory, they will come under missile strike and will be destroyed,” he stated.

Major General Baqeri further noted that the Great Prophet 15 drills and other major exercises, which have been held over the past 15 days and will continue for the next five days, indicate the Iranian Armed Force’s preparedness in all military spheres.

Iran is not seeking to launch any offense, he said, but emphasized that any hostile action against Iran will be met with a strong attack “with maximum power and in the shortest possible time.”

On Friday, during the first stage of the large-scale military exercise in the central desert of Iran, the IRGC units launched a barrage of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles, which were followed by operations by offensive bomber drones.

A mixed attack, involving a new generation of surface-to-surface ballistic missiles and drones, was carried out and all designated targets were destroyed with pinpoint accuracy.

Ballistic missiles of Zulfaghar, Zelzal, and Dezful classes were also fired at targets during Friday drills.

The missiles are reportedly equipped with detachable warheads and capable of being controlled outside the atmosphere.

Meanwhile, the commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says among the objectives of the Iranian military is to be able to target warships with ballistic missiles.

“One of our important objectives in defense strategies is to be able to target hostile warships, including aircraft carriers and battlecruisers, with long-range ballistic missiles,” said Major General Hossein Salami on the second day of IRGC’s missile drills held in central Iran.

“It is customary to strike mobile targets at sea by using low-speed cruise missiles,” he added.

However, the top general noted, ballistic missiles can hit targets over long distances and can be fired from deep inside Iran.

“So, we can hit mobile targets in the ocean,” he said.

“This capability is a major defense achievement, which has been achieved at the IRGC’s Aerospace Division,” he said.

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IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

TEHRAN – The Iranian Army forces are going to stage a large-scale military exercise in the Sea of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean using a combination of new equipment.

The commander of the joint drill, codenamed Zolfaqar-99, said the main stage of the exercise will begin today (Thursday) and continue for three days.

The war game would include forces from the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, and Air Defense, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said, noting that the drill zone covers an area of 2 million square kilometers in eastern parts of the Strait of Hormuz, Makran Coast, Sea of Oman, and northern parts of the Indian Ocean, down to the 10-degrees latitude.

He also noted that a broad range of vessels, submarines, aircraft and new weapons will be utilized in the war game, including ‘Fateh’ homegrown submarine.

The Army forces will practice offense and defense tactics in the drill, the commander said, adding that a long-range drone, called Simorgh, would carry out patrol and reconnaissance operations and engage in combat against hostile vessels by dropping smart bombs with pinpoint accuracy.

He said the purpose of the exercise is to ensure security of regional waters and international shipping routes. “Security in West Asia and its vital and strategic waterways requires indigenization of security with constructive cooperation from all regional countries and prevention of foreign presence in regional waters.”

With the motto of “sustainable security under defensive authority”, the war game will be launched in three different stages of ‘intelligence superiority’, ‘tactics’, and ‘display of power’, added the commander of the military exercise.

Different Army’s military equipment will be used during the event, including the powerful homegrown Fateh submarine, Sayyari said

Elsewhere, he said that providing the region and international waters with security and controlling this security are among the aims of this war game. “The security of the West Asia and its strategic waters depends on the localization of the security and constructive cooperation between all regional countries and not allowing transregional forces’ being present in the regional waters; in the past four decades, the Islamic Republic of Iran has pursued this purpose by relying on internal capabilities and using young and committed forces.”

“The enemies of the Islamic Republic should know that in case they commit any strategic mistake, the geography of battle and the stage of Iran’s response to their measures will not be limited to the West Asian region and they will face a vast field of battle.”

Commander of Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters Major General Gholam Ali Rashid made the remarks among the army commanders in the area of ‘Zolfaghar 99’ military exercise, which will be held on the Makran coasts.

Referring to the capabilities and combat readiness of the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Gen. Rashid said, “After 40 years and facing the security crises of the beginning of the Islamic Revolution and then eight years of the Imposed War, Iran’s Army has the power and ability to prepare combat very well to respond to threats.”

“The greatest achievement of the experience of the Holy Defense for the Iranian nation and the armed forces is the need for defense readiness and the use of military force to respond powerfully to threats,” he added.

“During the Imposed War, we have got familiar with the components of power and the ways how to use them, so we hope that the enemies would refrain from testing the will and power of Army and IRGC,” he stressed.

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According To Iran News, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) says it plans to set up a “permanent base” in the Indian Ocean in order to expand its presence across world oceans as per a directive by Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei.

The Leader has tasked the corps with maintaining a presence in the waters that lie far away from the country, obligating such a presence to be a permanent one, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Alireza Tangsiri told Fars news agency from the southern port city of Bandar Abbas, the agency reported on Monday.

The presence would seek to utilize the capacities that are owned by the country’s strategic naval force, the commander said.

Accordingly, the IRGC “is planning to create a permanent base in the Indian Ocean and will operationalize this by the end of the Persian calendar year” in March 2021, he added.

The Islamic Republic’s Navy has repeatedly conducted maritime assignments, Tangsiri noted, adding the IRGC Navy has so far dispatched two naval groups to the Indian Ocean.

The IRGC Navy boasts a 35-year history of defending the country’s territorial waters against acts of mischief by foreign naval forces, including recurrent instances, when it has warned away the United States Navy’s transgressing vessels or unprofessional and provocative behavior.

The commander recalled how pirates and some foreign vessels had, in the past, created disturbances for Iranian trawlers and dhows in the Sea of Oman and the entrance to the Indian Ocean.

“Through its powerful presence in the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean, the Corps will no longer leave any room for such acts of infringement,” he asserted.

The Corps has carried out all the detailed planning and calculations that are required to enable “a powerful and steadfast presence” in the oceanic area in order to further empower Iranian fishermen’s future activities there, Tangsiri concluded.

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IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

TEHRAN – Iran’s naval forces have successfully tested new-generation cruise missiles — designed and developed by experts at home — during military drills in the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean.

During the maneuvers on Thursday, the long-range and short-range missiles were successfully fired from the coast and from decks of ships, hitting the designated targets with high accuracy.

The long-range missiles destroyed their targets at a range of 280 kilometers.

The coast-to-sea and sea-to-sea missiles were produced by experts at Iran’s Ministry of Defense in cooperation with the Navy, according to the report.

At the end of the maneuvers, Deputy Chief of Army for Coordination Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari described the successful launch of new cruise missiles as a promising step toward further upliftment of the country’s defense and deterrence power.

He added that Iran will continue to march toward self-sufficiency and becoming needless of foreign military equipment despite brutal sanctions imposed on the country, adding that “successful test-firing of long-range missiles is a sign of remarkable progress in boosting synergy between the armed forces and defense industries.”

Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi also noted that production of new home-grown missiles by the Iranian experts will better equip the Islamic Republic to handle any threat against the Islamic establishment and the Iranian people while strengthening a sense of self-reliance in the Iranian Armed Forces.

The long-range naval cruise missiles hit the targets at a distance of 280 kilometers. The range of the new homegrown missiles may be extended.

A variety of coast-to-sea and sea-to-sea missiles with short and long ranges were fired simultaneously from the coastal launchers and the deck of naval vessels, and they could successfully detonate the targets with great accuracy.

The Thursday war game was held on the fortieth day after the martyrdom of a number of Navy forces in an incident involving the Konarak vessel.

Nineteen Navy servicemen were martyred and 15 others injured in the accident on May 10 when a number of vessels were carrying a naval training exercise off the coasts of Jask and Chabahar in the Sea of Oman.

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According To Iran News, An American political analyst said the joint naval exercises of Iran, Russia and China in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman can improve security in the region and act as a “deterrent” to the US and Israel.

“The drills can improve security in the region because they will act as a deterrent to an American/Israeli attack on Iran,” E. Michael Jones, a political analyst in the US state of Indiana, told Tasnim about the drills, dubbed Marine Security Belt, that were held in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman for three days.

Eugene Michael Jones is an American writer, former professor, media commentator and the current editor of Culture Wars magazine.

Following is the full text of the interview.

Tasnim: On Friday, Iran, Russia and China started a joint maritime exercise dubbed the “Marine Security Belt” in an area of 17,000 square kilometers which consists of various tactical drills, such as target practicing and rescuing ships from assault and incidents such as fires. What is your take on the joint naval drills?

Jones: My take is that (US President Donald) Trump has united the Eurasian landmass against the Island nations–England, America, Canada, Australia–by following the Likudnik line in foreign policy. American foreign policy in the Middle East has been based on ensuring free passage in the sea lanes leading from the Persian Gulf. The joint naval drill now indicates that Iran, Russian, and China can block the Strait of Hormuz at will.

Tasnim: In a post on his Twitter account on Friday night, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi published a photo of the logo of the naval drills and said, “The fact is that in the current transitional era, not everything happens in, nor by the West. We are truly living in a #Post_Western_world in which all global players have their share in its reality”. What are your thoughts on a post-Western world?

Jones: If by the post-Western world, you mean the end of the American Empire, this is good news for the American people because it will force the government to represent the interests of the American people and not the interests of the globalist elites.

Tasnim: “The message of this exercise is peace, friendship and lasting security through cooperation and unity … and its effect will be to show that Iran cannot be isolated,” according to Deputy Commander of the Iranian Navy Admiral Gholamreza Tahani. How much do you think such drills can help improve security in the region?

Jones: The drills can improve security in the region because they will act as a deterrent to an American/Israeli attack on Iran. Binyamin Netanyahu, according to a report in Ha’aretz, is pressing for an invasion of Iran as a last-ditch attempt to stay in the Prime Minister’s office and out of prison. These drills will lessen the likelihood of any attack.

Tasnim: In your perspective, what has prompted the three countries to form a triangle of sea power and hold the drills?

Jones: The main cause of the drills was an imperial overreach on the part of the Trump administration, whose foreign policy is controlled by three rich Jews–Sheldon Adelson, Bernard Marcus, and Paul Singer. Jews always push things too far and create a reaction. We are now witnessing that reaction not only in the Persian Gulf but also in Europe, where the Trump administration has placed sanctions on the firms building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. This will drive Germany into the arms of Russian and bring about the end of NATO.

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