TEHRAN (Iran News) –Iran, Russia and China are to kick start joint maritime maneuvers on Tuesday night in the Indian Ocean near the Sea of Oman along with observers from friendly and allied countries, the spokesman for the drills said.

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The maritime drills, dubbed “naval security belt combined war game 202,” kicked off on March 15 and will run through March 19, China’s Ministry of National Defense announced in a statement on Wednesday.

The drills will help “deepen practical cooperation among the navies of participating countries,” the statement pointed out.

The maritime exercise will reportedly involve forces from the marine and airborne units of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy, and flotillas from China and Russia.

Iranian naval forces, together with their Chinese and Russian counterparts, have held several joint war games in recent years with the purpose of improving the security of international maritime trade, countering piracy and maritime terrorism, exchange of information in naval rescue and relief operations, and exchange of operational and tactical experiences.

Back in October last year, Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani said Iran planned to hold a joint naval exercise with China, Russia and a number of other countries in the northern tip of the Indian Ocean.

Irani said the joint exercise would be meant to boost up the combat capabilities of Iranian forces and falls within the framework of maritime diplomacy so as to ensure sustainable security.

He noted at the time that Iran had invited a number of member states of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) – a forum aimed at increasing maritime cooperation among the littoral states of the Indian Ocean region, to take part in the naval drills.

The Navy chief added that the war games had been designed in accordance with an instruction book compiled by the Iranian Navy.

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Captain Reza Sheibani, chief of staff of the Iran Navy’s first naval region who also acts as the spokesman of the joint exercise, made the announcement on Tuesday, saying that the purpose of this naval exercise is to improve combat capability and exchange information and military knowledge between the two navies of Iran and Pakistan.

This exercise is to demonstrate naval power and synergy and establish a constructive and dynamic interaction to create lasting peace and security in the region, and conduct joint naval operations, including air and sea transfers, and joint operations of Passex with the Iranian and Pakistani navies in the Persian Gulf’s water and the Sea of Oman, he added.

Navy units consisting of the ‘Alborz’ destroyer and a missile launcher along with a helicopter, as well as submarine combat and support units of the Pakistan Navy are participating in the naval exercise, Sheibani said.

Referring to the importance of unity and convergence of naval powers in this strategic region, he added that creating security by the countries of the region will lead to the growth, development of security and ultimately the prosperity of world trade.

Pakistani fleet consisting of two naval vessels docked at Bandar Abbas on Saturday morning to further strengthen bilateral and friendly relations with Iran.

With the message of solidarity, peace and prosperity for the Iranian people and the region, the Pakistan navy flotilla will be present at Bandar Abbas from 3 to 6 April.

The Pakistani fleet enters Bandar Abbas every April, which did not happen last year due to the coronavirus pandemic, said Chief of Staff of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy.

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