The naval forces of China, Russia, Iran and other countries are holding joint naval drills in the waters of the Sea of Oman from March 15 to 19, the Chinese National Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday.
"From March 15 to 19, the naval forces of China, Iran, Russia and other countries will hold joint naval drills Security Ties 2023 in the Sea of Oman," the ministry said in a statement.
According to the document, Chinas People's Liberation Army Navy will be represented by the missile destroyer Nanning. "In general, it will take part in aerial search operations, sea rescue, naval parade formation exercises, as well as other tasks within the framework of the drills," the statement reads.
The last time the three countries military personnel teamed up for joint drills was within the framework of the Vostok-2022 exercise, which Russia held on September 1-7, 2022. Military personnel from China, India, Belarus, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Algeria and other states took part. The active phase of the war games was monitored by high-level military delegations from Armenia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Venezuela, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan. Defensive and offensive operations were practiced at the training grounds of the Eastern military region, as well as the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan.