March 12, 2024 (EIRNS)—China, Iran, and Russia launched a joint naval drill, called Maritime Security Belt-2024, on March 11. The drill kicked off after Chinese warships arrived in waters near Chabahar, Iran, and rendezvoused with participating Iranian and Russian naval vessels. This is the fourth joint drill the three countries have held since 2019. The drill will last over March 11-15 reported the Chinese Defense Ministry. The aim of the exercise, according to China’s Defense Ministry, is to jointly safeguard regional maritime security.
The exercises include ten vessels from the Iranian Navy and three Chinese warships, as well as a guided missile cruiser and an anti-submarine warfare ship from Russia. The exercise mainly features anti-piracy and search-and-rescue training courses, and is organized in three phases: the harbor phase, the sea phase, and the summarize phase, reported China’s CCTV.
