Iran, China, Russia Moving Warships In Mideast Worrying Israel
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
TEHRAN/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Preparations were underway Monday for the Iranian, Chinese, and Russian navies to hold military drills off the coast of Iran, adding to anxiety in Israel.
The massive exercises, which will begin Tuesday, come after Iran’s Islamic rulers repeatedly stated they seek the destruction of Israel, including through proxies and strengthening its military.
Ahead of this week’s exercises, Russian missile specialists reportedly flew to Tehran around the time that Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel.
Iran has signed cooperation agreements with China and Russia and already delivers drones to Moscow that have been used in its war in Ukraine.
The three countries share a common desire to challenge what they view as the “U.S. hegemony,” with military drills seen as part of that strategy.
The latest drills “will begin on Tuesday in the port of Chabahar,” located in southeast Iran on the Gulf of Oman, according to Tasnim news agency, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“Warships and combat and support vessels of the Chinese and Russian naval forces, as well as the warships of Iran’s naval forces of the army and the Revolutionary Guards” are due to participate, Tasnim stressed.
INDIAN OCEAN
Tasnim added that the exercises would occur “in the northern Indian Ocean” and aim to “strengthen regional security and expand multilateral cooperation between participating countries. ”
Azerbaijan, South Africa, Oman, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Qatar, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Sri Lanka will attend as observers.
Earlier, on March 12, 2024, the IRGC’s Navy missile corvette was seen at sea during the “Maritime Security Belt 2024,” a combined naval exercise between Iran, Russia, and China in the Gulf of Oman.
This week, China will deploy “a destroyer and a supply ship,” the Chinese Defense Ministry announced on social media.
The Iranian army conducted drills in the same area in February to “strengthen defense capabilities against any threat,” an Israeli source said.
With Israel threatening to destroy Tehran’s potentially nuclear weapons capabilities and other perceived threats,
Iran has also reached out to other Arab nations as well as China and Russia. China already played a key role in rekindling diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023.
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