Alwaght- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy has deployed warships it recently added to its fleet to the Maritime Security Belt naval drills with China and Russia, according to Iran's broadcaster Press TV.
The catamarans joined war games underway with Chinese and Russian naval warships in the Gulf of Oman.
The two warships are named after General Qassam Soleimani and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the two top anti-terror commanders the US assassinated in 2020 at Baghdad International Airport.
Helicopters and marines also joined the drills, according to Commander of the IRGC Navy's Imam Ali Base in Chabahar, Rear Admiral Mohammad Nozari.
Nozari noted that the IRGC warships, equipped with indigenously-manufactured sophisticated munitions, can undertake long-haul missions in oceans and open seas, and ensure prolonged naval presence.
The IRGC Navy has partaken in the naval exercise with three domestically-developed warships and two frigates, noting that the drills cover an expanse of 17 thousand square kilometers, and the exercise area includes three of the world's five strategic straits, located in the northern Indian Ocean region, which is a crucial hub for energy and trade traffic globally, he added.
Iran, China, and Russia announced the naval drills on Tuesday, saying there were aimed at ensuring the security of international navigation in the Red Sea and enhancing the readiness of the forces.
Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Mostafa Tajeddini, spokesman for the joint war game, said naval forces of Iran, Russia and China have successfully conducted a photo exercise (PHOTOEX), and practiced formation of various tactical patterns.
The two-day Maritime Security Belt 2024 naval drills kicked off on Tuesday. The naval and airborne units of the Islamic Republic of Iran Navy, together with their Chinese and Russian counterparts, are participating in the exercises.
Naval delegations from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Oman, Pakistan and South Africa have taken part in the drills as observers.
