Iran plans to hold joint naval drills with China, Russia in Indian Ocean region

Iran plans to hold joint naval exercises with China and Russia in the northern Indian Ocean region in mid-February, Iranian media reported on Saturday amid elevated tensions with the US.

The semi-official Tasnim News Agency said the eighth edition of the joint drills, known as the "Maritime Security Belt," will bring together naval units from the three countries.

The exercise will involve units from Iran's regular navy and the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), alongside naval forces from China and Russia, the report added.

The mid-February drills will be held in the northern Indian Ocean.

The "Maritime Security Belt" exercises were launched in 2019 at the initiative of Iran's navy, Tasnim said. Seven previous editions of the joint drills have been held since then.

The drills come as tensions have escalated between Tehran and Washington in recent weeks, following US President Donald Trump's statements that a "massive armada" was moving toward Iran, alongside his call for Tehran to "come to the table" for negotiations.

Iranian officials have warned that any US attack would draw a "swift and comprehensive" response while reiterating that Tehran remains open to talks only under what it describes as "fair, balanced, and noncoercive terms."