Naval Exercises in Gulf of Oman

China, Iran and Russia have begun a joint naval drill in the Gulf of Oman, a crucial waterway near the mouth of the Persian Gulf, officials said.

Footage aired by Chinese state television and a video released by the Russian navy showed the ongoing drill, known as “Marine Security Belt 2024.”

China sent the guided-missile destroyer Urumqi and the guided-missile frigate Linyi to the exercise. Russia's forces are being led by the Varyag, a Slava-class cruiser.

More than 20 ships, support vessels and combat boats from the three countries, as well as naval helicopters, are involved in the exercise.

Iran has stepped up its military cooperation with Beijing and Moscow in response to regional tensions with the United States, including due to supplying military drones to Russia now being used in Moscow's war on Ukraine.

The Gulf of Oman has seen a series of attacks since 2019 that the U.S. has blamed on Iran, as well as ship seizures by Tehran, since the collapse of its nuclear deal with world powers. A fifth of all oil traded passes through the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf's narrow mouth.

The military activities are aimed at "jointly maintaining regional maritime security", according to a statement published by China's defense ministry.

Drills in the area were held in March last year between the same three countries under the name "Security Bond 2023".

This year's round of joint exercises coincides with soaring tensions in the region as the war in Gaza rages and Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched a flurry of attacks on ships in the Red Sea.

Russian state media reported that a detachment of ships from the country's Pacific Fleet, led by the Varyag cruiser, arrived at the Iranian port of Chabahar.

"The main purpose of the maneuvers is to work out the safety of maritime economic activity."