The Iranian army's navy announced the start of naval exercises on Wednesday with the participation of Iran, Russia and China in the northern Indian Ocean.
The navy said the joint exercise was called the "Maritime Security Belt" and would last five days.
For its part, China's Defense Ministry said the drills would help deepen actual cooperation between the navies of the participating countries.
The military drills come amid tensions between the three countries and the West, particularly over the ongoing war in Ukraine.
In recent years, the three countries have carried out joint naval exercises in the Indo-Atlantic and Sea of Oman.
The latest exercises between Iran, Russia and China date back to the beginning of last year, and the Russian Defense Ministry said at the time that they included various tactical operations within the framework of enhancing the security of international maritime trade, combating maritime terrorism and pirates, exchanging information in the fields of search and rescue, and exchanging experiences.