China, Russia, Iran ‘plan joint naval drill in international waters’

Iranian news outlet quotes military official as saying exercise will be held soon, but Chinese media silent on reported manoeuvres

By Zhuang Pinghui

China, Russia and Iran are planning a joint naval drill in the Sea of Oman and northern Indian Ocean “soon”, a semi-official Iranian news outlet reported on Saturday, just days after the United States

blamed Iran

for a drone attack on Saudi Arabian oil facilities.

General Ghadir Nezami Pour, head of international affairs and defence diplomacy of Iran’s General Staff of the Armed Forces, said the drill would take place in international waters, the Iran Press news agency reported.

“The exercises have different goals, including the exchange of tactical and military experiences, and sometimes they seek political goals which show a kind of convergence between participants,” he was quoted as saying.

“Officials at the level of defence minister, chief of staff of the armed forces and commanders of the armed forces will come to Iran in the near future and these actions reflect Iran’s active defence diplomacy,” he was quoted.

Read more at https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3029819/china-russia-iran-plan-joint-naval-drill-international-waters