Iran, Russia & China To Hold Joint Naval Exercise In December

Iran, Russia and China are poised to hold a joint naval exercise codenamed “Naval Security Belt” in Indian Ocean waters, on December 27, 2019.

“The trilateral naval exercise codenamed Naval Security Belt will be held on December 27,” Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi was quoted as saying by Tasnim News Agency, on Tuesday.

The Iranian general asserted earlier that “the purpose of the war game is to ensure collective security and help strengthen security in the northern region of the Indian Ocean, which is witnessing incidents such as piracy.”

In addition, Khanzadi expressed the Iranian Navy’s readiness to work with China in the joint production of destroyers and submarines. In 2016, the defense ministers of Iran and China signed an agreement in Tehran to enhance the defense cooperation between the two countries.

“We will begin manufacturing heavy surface and subsurface equipment in the near future, and are ready for joint operations and the exchange of technical data as well as research capacities with China,” the Iranian general added.