MOSCOW: Russia said a group of its warships had arrived in Iran to take part in exercises with Iran and China in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
The joint exercises, called “Maritime Security Belt – 2024”, will involve warships and aviation, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement cited by state media on Monday.
“The practical part of the exercise will take place in the waters of the Gulf of Oman of the Arabian Sea,” the ministry said. “The main purpose of the maneuvers is to determine the safety of maritime economic activity.”
The Russian group is led by the Varyag, a missile cruiser from the Pacific Fleet, the ministry said. Naval representatives of Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Oman, India, and South Africa will act as observers.
