Beijing (Agencies): China, Iran, and Russia are set to hold a joint naval exercise, Security Belt-2025, near Iran’s Chabahar Port in the Gulf of Oman in early to mid-March, the Chinese Defense Ministry announced on Sunday. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy will participate with a guided-missile destroyer and a replenishment ship.
The drill, aimed at bolstering military cooperation and ensuring regional maritime security, will include exercises in maritime target strikes, search and rescue operations, and counter-piracy measures. According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, the naval forces will work to secure international trade routes and combat threats such as piracy and terrorism.
Security Belt-2025 marks the fifth joint drill among the three nations since 2019 and highlights their commitment to maintaining stability in critical waterways. The Gulf of Oman, linking the Strait of Hormuz to the Indian Ocean, is a key global energy shipping route.
Chinese military experts emphasized that the exercise is not directed at any third party, but rather aims to deepen military trust among the three nations and enhance global peace efforts. The PLA Navy’s Baotou (Type 052D destroyer) and Gaoyouhu (Type 903A replenishment ship) will take part, following their participation in the AMAN-2025 multinational maritime exercise in Pakistan last month.
With rising geopolitical tensions, joint military drills between these powers reinforce their strategic cooperation while sending a message of regional security collaboration in the Indo-Pacific.