Iran, Russia and China Hold Joint Military Exercises in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran, together with Russia and China, has deployed naval vessels for joint exercises in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz. The joint military exercises have been described as coordination drills aimed at protecting trade routes in the Strait of Hormuz, which are becoming increasingly vulnerable.

The joint exercises involving the three nations, as reported by Anadolu Agency on Wednesday (18/2/2026), were disclosed by Russian presidential adviser Nikolay Patrushev in an interview with the weekly magazine Argumenty i Fakty on Tuesday (17/2) local time.

Patrushev stated that Russia is working to build a “multipolar world order at sea” in response to what he described as Western hegemony. The three nations participating in the joint exercises in the Strait of Hormuz are all members of the intergovernmental organisation BRICS.

“We will harness the potential of BRICS, which must now acquire a fully-fledged strategic maritime dimension,” Patrushev said.

He added that BRICS had held its first naval exercise, named “Will for Peace 2026”, in January in the waters of the South Atlantic. That first exercise involved Russia, China, Iran, the United Arab Emirates and South Africa.

According to Patrushev, the latest joint exercise in the Strait of Hormuz, named Maritime Security Belt 2026, involves coordination between navies in an effort to protect trade routes, which he said are becoming increasingly vulnerable.

“The Maritime Security Belt 2026 exercise in the Strait of Hormuz, where Russia, China and Iran have sent their vessels, has proven to be relevant,” Patrushev said.

The Maritime Security Belt exercise was scheduled to be hosted by Iran in mid-February in the Strait of Hormuz, which is situated between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the most strategically important chokepoints in the world.

Joint naval exercises of this kind were first launched in 2019, on the initiative of the Iranian Navy. Since then, the joint exercises have been held seven times.