Russia begins naval drills with China, Iran

MOSCOW, Russia — Russia said Wednesday it had started naval exercises with China and Iran in the Arabian Sea as it seeks to shore up ties with Beijing and Tehran.

The Russian defence ministry said in a statement that the trilateral exercises dubbed the "Marine Security Belt 2023" had begun in the vicinity of the Iranian port of Chabahar.

The naval part of the drills will take place on Thursday and Friday.

Russia will be represented by the Admiral Gorshkov frigate and a medium-sized tanker, the ministry said.

During the naval drills, the ships will perform "joint manoeuvres and will carry out artillery firing in daytime and at night," the statement said.

President Vladimir Putin has sought to ramp up political, economic and military ties with China and Iran after he sent troops to Ukraine a year ago, triggering multiple rounds of unprecedented Western sanctions.