Previous naval maneuvers between the three countries in the Gulf of Oman in March 2023 (Reuters)

The Russian newspaper "Nezavisimaya" published that a new alliance is being formed in the northern Indian Ocean between China, Russia and Iran, and that joint naval exercises between the warships of the three countries are taking place in the "Gulf of Oman" under the name "Maritime Security Belt."

The newspaper explained in a report by writer Vladimir Skosyrev in which he said that similar maneuvers have been taking place since 2018, but the current maneuvers are of special importance to Moscow in light of the conflict in Ukraine.

The Russian rapprochement with Iran is also taking place against the backdrop of the establishment of the north-south transport corridor.

According to the Russian "TASS" agency, the command ship of the Russian Pacific Fleet, the missile cruiser "Varyag" and the frigate "Marshal Shaposhnikov" participated in the maneuvers.

Chinese and Iranian participation

According to a Chinese newspaper, Chinese sailors are practicing shooting at sea and rescuing hostages held by pirates.

Shooting was also carried out and communication between ships was maintained using light signals.

On the Chinese side, 6 ships participated, including the guided missile destroyer Urumqi.

While special forces from China and Iran participated in anti-piracy maneuvers.

According to the writer, Beijing said that the exercises aim to jointly maintain maritime security in the region.

The South China Morning newspaper wrote that Chinese officials prefer not to delve into the escalation of the situation in the Red Sea after the US-led coalition began retaliating against the Ansar Allah Houthis.

The writer stated that Beijing, which owns ships at a military base in Djibouti, did not officially condemn the Houthi attacks, and merely called on Tehran to exert pressure on them, while Western media claim that Chinese goods exports to Europe via the Suez Canal decreased as a result of the Houthi attacks.

The true meaning of maneuvers

The writer quotes Benjamin Barton, an associate professor at the University of Nottingham campus in Malaysia, as saying that the repetition of joint exercises between the naval forces of Russia, Iran, and China is evidence of the increasing cooperation between the three countries at sea.

This is especially important because the Red Sea has become a new battlefield between Iran and the Western coalition.

Therefore, including anti-piracy activities in the three countries' exercises is just a trick to distract the press from the true meaning of the exercises.

The report quoted the New York Times as saying that in addition to the strategic rapprochement between the three countries, Russia, which was previously dependent on Europe for trade, is paving new roads that allow it to bypass restrictions, which is the railway line through Azerbaijan and Iran to Iranian ports. In the Arabian Gulf, which is not far from Mumbai, the commercial capital of India, this route reduces time by 25% to 30% between Russia and the ports on the Arabian Gulf and Mumbai. The project is expected to be completed by 2028.

This road has become a lifeline for Russia and Iran in light of the events in Ukraine and the Red Sea.

Source: Nezavismaya