Russia, Iran and China showed Americans naval teeth
For Russia, the joint naval exercises Maritime Security Belt 2023, launched in the Gulf of Oman with China and Iran, have become the symbol of the Russian flag in a strategically important region.
A PolitNavigator correspondent reports this, said military expert retired Lieutenant General Yuri Netkachev.
“For Moscow, which, like Iran, was subject to sanctions, these maneuvers in the context of active hostilities in Ukraine are a sign of support from Tehran. But it is also the designation of the Russian flag in an important global energy region. Apparently, it is no coincidence that Russia is represented at the exercise by one of the most modern ships of the country’s Navy, the Northern Fleet frigate Admiral Gorshkov, equipped with new Zircon hypersonic missiles.
His participation in joint maneuvers with the Chinese fleet is also a continuation of the strengthening of the tripartite relations within the Moscow-Tehran-Beijing framework, as well as assistance in solving geopolitical problems in the Middle East and Africa for the newly elected leadership of the PRC,” the analyst told Nezavisimaya Gazeta "
He noted that before entering the Gulf of Oman two weeks ago, the frigate participated together with ships of the PRC and South African navies in exercises off the coast of South Africa in the Indian Ocean.
In addition, it is indicated that previously Chinese and Russian warships in a similar composition were assembled only once for maneuvers off the coast of Iran in December 2019. But then some of the tasks of the PRC, Iranian and Russian Navy were solved in the Indian Ocean, and only a few were designated in the Gulf of Oman area. Now the situation is completely different.
Rear Admiral of the Russian Navy in reserve, military historian Yuri Kirillov, believes that the naval exercises of China, Russia and Iran are intended to show the United States that these countries “jointly intend to control the world’s main oil transportation routes.”
“The fleet of the 5th Task Force of the US Navy has always been present in the Gulf of Oman. But if previously the Americans saw only Chinese merchant ships in the Gulf, now they will have to get used to warships as well. China thereby clearly demonstrates to the US Navy that it has become a maritime power and is capable, together with Russia and Iran, of controlling and protecting the trade routes of the Gulf of Oman,” Kirillov said.
And Netkachev draws attention to the fact that China has reconciled Saudi Arabia and Iran.
In addition, he is confident that China’s military and diplomatic activity in the Middle East has a positive effect on the actions of Russia and Iran in Syria and their military-technical cooperation.
“It is not for nothing that before Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited Moscow on Wednesday, the official representative of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning, made a statement that China calls on the United States to withdraw its troops from Syria and stop robbing this country,” the general emphasized.
If you find an error, please select a piece of text and press Ctrl + Enter.
Thank you!
Now the editors are aware.