NEW DELHI: Amid simmering friction between the United States and Iran, naval forces from Iran, Russia and China are set to conduct a joint military exercise in waters around the Strait of Hormuz, coinciding with an expanded U.S. military deployment in the Gulf and ongoing indirect talks over Tehran’s nuclear programme.
China and Russia have deployed ships for the exercise, with Russian presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev confirming on Tuesday that the Maritime Security Belt 2026 exercise will be hosted by Iran.
Speaking in an interview with a Russian daily, he said participating navies would focus on coordinating efforts to secure maritime trade routes, which he described as becoming “increasingly vulnerable”.
The exercise is expected to include coordinated manoeuvres involving surface combatants, logistical vessels and naval aviation elements, alongside anti-piracy and search-and-rescue drills, communication exercises, and simulated escort operations for commercial shipping, similar to previous editions.
Parallel to the exercise, the United States has reinforced its military posture in the Gulf, deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R. Ford, placing two carrier strike groups within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.
Additional naval assets, including Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and littoral combat ships, are operating in and around the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, while U.S. air assets remain deployed at regional bases in Qatar, Jordan and other Gulf partner states.
The drills come amid persistent tensions between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear programme and U.S. sanctions, alongside broader regional security concerns. The United States has repeatedly sought to curb Iran’s uranium enrichment activities and missile development, while Iran maintains its nuclear programme is civilian in nature and has called for sanctions relief as part of any future agreement.
Tensions have remained high since last year’s U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, when B-2 Spirit stealth bombers used GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs against sites such as Fordow and Natanz under Operation Midnight Hammer, supported by Tomahawk missile strikes. The attacks targeted deeply buried enrichment infrastructure and were followed by missile and drone exchanges across the region. Indirect negotiations have continued through regional intermediaries, even as both sides retain substantial military deployments.
Furthermore, the Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints, with around 17 to 20 million barrels of oil passing through it each day, accounting for nearly one fifth of global consumption. Significant volumes of liquefied natural gas also transit the route, meaning any disruption would have immediate consequences for global energy markets.