Russia, China and Iran hold joint naval drills

The maneuvers are meant to ensure maritime security and counter Western hegemony at sea, Russian presidential aide Nikolay Patrushev has said

Russia, China and Iran will conduct joint naval exercises as part of growing military cooperation aimed at reshaping the global balance of power at sea, Russian presidential aide Nikolay Patrushev has said.

Warships from the three countries have been dispatched for maneuvers in the waters off Iran, Patrushev told the Russian news outlet Argumenty i Fakty on Tuesday. The drills are part of a joint effort to build “a multipolar world order on the oceans” in response to what he called long‑standing Western hegemony.

Known as Maritime Security Belt, the wargames are scheduled to take place this month in the Gulf of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean and will involve vessels and aircraft from all three countries. Originally an Iranian initiative, the drills have been conducted trilaterally since 2019, except in 2021, when China did not participate.

Patrushev said the seas are once again becoming a platform for “military aggression” and a revival of “gunboat diplomacy,” citing recent tensions around Venezuela and Iran. “The West dominated the seas for a long time, right up to the beginning of this century, but now their hegemony is in many ways in the past,” he said.

Russian corvette participates in joint naval exercises at Iran’s Bandar Abbas in show of unity

The exercises focused on coordinated manoeuvres, communications, and protecting civilian shipping — highlighting deepening Moscow–Tehran military ties. pic.twitter.com/Kluzp2uw4u

— Viory Video (@vioryvideo) February 18, 2026

Separately, Iranian media reported, citing Naval Commander Hassan Maghsoodloo, that Russia and the Islamic Republic will hold combined naval drills this week.

The latest maneuvers come following the second round of Oman-mediated US-Iran indirect talks in Geneva on Tuesday over the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program.

President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) during his first term and reimposed sweeping sanctions on Iran, and The US is seeking to pressure Tehran into accepting a new nuclear deal.

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The Islamic Republic insists its nuclear activities are peaceful and has repeatedly said it will not accept Washington’s demand for zero uranium enrichment.

Tensions have remained high since Israel and the US carried out coordinated airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last June, an operation Tehran condemned as an unprovoked violation of its sovereignty. Washington has since strengthened its military posture in the region, deploying additional naval and air assets, including a second aircraft carrier.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Tuesday staged drills in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil shipments, and warned it could close the waterway in the event of an attack. Around 100 merchant vessels are estimated to transit the strait each day, making any disruption potentially significant for global energy markets.