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| Deepen Cooperation, China, Russia and Iran Will Launch Military Exercises in the Gulf of Oman |
International Military - China, Russia and Iran will launch joint maritime exercises in the Gulf of Oman this week. This was announced by the Chinese Ministry of Defense, Wednesday (15/3/2023). The training takes place from Wednesday to Sunday (19/3/2023).
"This exercise will help deepen practical cooperation among the navies of participating countries," the ministry said, as quoted by The National News.
China said it would deploy the guided-missile destroyer Nanning for the drills. The exercise will cover air search operations, sea rescue, naval parade formation exercises, as well as other tasks within the exercise framework. "Other countries are also taking part in the Security Bond-2023 exercise," the Chinese Ministry of Defense said in a statement.
It is known that Iran, Pakistan, Oman and the United Arab Emirates each have a coastline that touches the gulf, which is located at the strategic mouth of the Persian Gulf. China, Russia and Iran held similar drills last year and in 2019.
China underscores Beijing's growing military and political ties with countries largely shunned by the United States and its partners.
The Gulf of Oman is a popular site for holding military exercises due to its strategic position for the transportation of oil and Iran, Pakistan, Oman and the UAE all have coastlines along it.
Last week, China hosted talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia. That resulted in a deal between them on Friday to restore full diplomatic relations after seven years of tensions.
While the US and Saudi Arabia have longstanding military and political ties, they have been fractured by the 2018 killing of US-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the kingdom's leadership and production cuts by the OPEC+ oil cartel that the government says were helping Russia.