Iran, Russia hold naval drills as US boosts military presence in Arabian Sea

2026-02-19 15:33:52, Kosova & Bota CNA

Iran and Russia began joint naval exercises in southern Iranian waters on February 19, as the United States continues to expand its military presence in the Arabian Sea.

The exercises are taking place mainly in the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean.

Known as the "Maritime Security Belt," these annual exercises have been held since 2019 and have usually included China, although Beijing does not appear to be involved in the current drills.

Iranian Navy Admiral Hassan Maqsudlu told reporters that one of the goals of the exercises is to "prevent any unilateral action in the region," likely referring to the increased US military presence.

According to Iranian media, the navies of Iran and Russia conducted aerial surveillance exercises and practiced tactical formations and maneuvers as part of the exercise.

The exercises also included offensive formation scenarios, aimed at improving tactical coordination, strengthening joint command and control, and simulating rapid response under operational conditions, where units practiced combined deployment and maneuver techniques.

Participating forces included units from the Iranian navy and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy - such as warships, missile boats, helicopters, special operations teams and fast attack craft - along with the Russian corvette Stoikiy and Iranian Air Force fighter jets.

The IRGC, which conducted its naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on February 16-17, is expected to be officially designated a terrorist organization by the European Union this week.

The decision to blacklist the IRGC was made last month.

From the Russian side, it appears that only one warship participated in the exercise.

Highlighting Russia's limited presence, former Iranian naval officer Mohammad Parsi described the exercises as "small and symbolic."

"I cannot imagine Russia providing real support in a direct confrontation between Iran and the United States," he told Radio Farda, adding that Moscow is likely to use Tehran as a "tool of pressure" in its broader confrontation with the West, rather than committing to mutual defense.

The exercises are taking place as the United States and Iran continue talks on a possible deal that would limit Iran's nuclear program and avoid war.

"Iran would be wise to reach an agreement," White House spokeswoman Caroline Leavitt said on February 18, after the second round of US-Iran talks in Geneva ended without any progress.

Washington has increased its military presence in the Middle East in recent weeks and recently sent a second aircraft carrier to the Arabian Sea.

According to some reports, US air power in the region has now reached its highest level since the invasion of Iraq in 2003./REL