February 6, 2024 – 10:14 pm
China is conducting joint military exercises with Russia and Iran, according to Russian and Iranian press reports South China Morning Newspaper. The aforementioned press reports quoted Iranian Admiral Sahram Irani, who confirmed that the joint military exercises of the three countries will take place before the end of next March, and that the goal of the participants is to ensure “the security of the region.”
The navies of other countries were also invited to participate in the exercises as observers, including the navies of Brazil, India, Oman, Pakistan and South Africa, the Navy Admiral said. Irani did not specify where the exercises would take place, but the Chinese, Russian and Iranian naval forces already conducted a joint exercise last March in the Gulf of Oman. This location is also made possible by the fact that Oman and Pakistan, which together with Iran dominate the coast of the Gulf of Oman, were also invited to the exercises.
The situation in the region is currently tense, because the United States and its allies are constantly striking the Iranian-backed Yemeni forces, which in turn are disrupting international trade routes through the Red Sea with their attacks. China has not yet publicly condemned the Houthis.
