A report by Nicole Hajal, English adaptation by Nadine Sassine
In a time and place carefully chosen, while the Houthis attack in the Red Sea, Israeli merchant ships or others head towards Israel; Iranian, Russian, and Chinese military maneuvers have begun in the Gulf of Oman, connecting the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean to the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf waters.
Alongside the three countries, naval representatives from Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Oman, India, and South Africa participate as observers. However, what is the declared objective of the maneuvers named "Sea Security Belt-2024"?
- Maintain regional maritime security.
- Ensure the safety of maritime economic activities.
- Expand multilateral cooperation among participating countries.
- Exchange operational and tactical expertise.
The importance of the maneuvers lies in their timing and dimensions:
Firstly, although Iran, Russia, and China have previously conducted joint naval maneuvers since 2019, these maneuvers come amid regional tensions due to Israel's war on Gaza.
Secondly, they receive significant attention as they are not far from the military operations in the Red Sea waters led by the Anglo-American alliance.
According to Iranian experts speaking to Al Jazeera, the choice of the maneuver area was deliberate, situated between the Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb straits and Malacca, enhancing the significance of the security belt formed by the three countries north of the Indian Ocean to ensure the passage of commercial ships, particularly the flow of global energy.
Iranian experts conclude that the series of Maritime Security Belt maneuvers is only the beginning of a long-term strategic policy to confront and undermine the US presence in the region.
These maneuvers, crucial in their timing, location, and form, raise questions about whether they signify a confrontation between the Eastern bloc represented by Russia, Iran, and China, and the Western bloc led by the United States and their respective abilities to control the Indian Ocean and other regional waters.