The Chinese, Russian and Iranian navies are conducting joint military exercises in the Gulf of Oman on Friday, Beijing announced amid tensions with Washington over the Iran nuclear deal.
The exercises, which will run for four days until 30 December aim to "deepen exchanges and cooperation between the navies of the three countries," a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Defense said.
The announcement comes amid tensions between Iran and the United States after Washington's unilateral withdrawal in 2018 from the international Iranian nuclear agreement signed in 2015.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense did not specify how many men and ships that would be mobilized for the maneuvers, but announced that its navy would deploy its anti-missile ship, “the Xining”.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the exercises "are part of normal military cooperation."
President Trump's administration has reinstated heavy sanctions against Iran that are suffocating its economy, particularly the country’s vital oil sector.
In November, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced that Iran had “no other choice” but to resume uranium enrichment at its Fordow nuclear plant, violating the 15-year prohibition on enrichment at that facility.
The Brussels Times
