Warships from Iran, China, and Russia kicked off their annual joint exercises in the Gulf of Oman on Monday, showcasing their military cooperation as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to upend longstanding Western alliances. The “Security Belt-2025” drills, held near the Iranian port of Chabahar, mark the fifth joint naval exercise between the three nations since 2019, according to Chinese state media.
Strengthening Ties and Challenging U.S. Influence
Analysts have long viewed the drills as a demonstration of the strengthening partnership among the three authoritarian powers as they seek to counterbalance U.S. influence and challenge the Western-led global order. This year, however, the optics of the exercise are even more pronounced, as Trump’s actions have disrupted the transatlantic alliance—a cornerstone of Western security for decades—by embracing Russia at the expense of Ukraine and pushing Asian allies to pay more for U.S. protection.
Asked about the joint naval exercises on Sunday, Trump said he was “not at all” concerned about the show of force by the three U.S. adversaries. “We’re stronger than all of them. We have more power than all of them,” he told Fox News aboard Air Force One.
Rising Concerns over Strategic Partnerships
In Washington, concerns are mounting about the emerging strategic partnership between China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, which U.S. lawmakers have described as an “axis of authoritarianism” and an “axis of dictators.” The fear is that these countries’ shared animosity toward the U.S. is driving them to work together, amplifying the threat that any one of them alone poses to Washington or its allies—not just in one region but potentially across multiple parts of the world simultaneously.
At the same time, Trump has openly embraced Russian President Vladimir Putin in an attempt to end the war in Ukraine by negotiating directly with Moscow, while sidelining Kyiv and European allies. The growing military relationship between Russia and North Korea has further intensified, with the two countries signing a mutual defense agreement and Pyongyang sending troops to fight for Moscow in Ukraine.
Tensions Between the U.S. and Iran
The joint naval drills come amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Iran. Since returning to the White House, Trump has reinstated his “maximum pressure” campaign on Iran, which includes efforts to drive Tehran’s oil exports to zero in an attempt to prevent the country from acquiring a nuclear weapon. Iran has strongly criticized this approach, calling it “bullying” tactics.
The Gulf of Oman, where the drills are taking place, is a vital maritime route connecting the Indian Ocean and the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which more than one-quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade passes. The U.S. maintains a significant presence in the region through its Fifth Fleet, based in nearby Bahrain.
Details of the Drills
Russia’s Defense Ministry stated that the joint naval exercises would involve 15 combat ships, support vessels, and gunboats, as well as helicopters, according to state news agency TASS. “The Russian side is represented by the Rezky and Russian Hero Aldar Tsydenzhapov corvettes, and the Pechenega tanker of the Pacific Fleet,” the ministry said.
China has deployed the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer Baotou and the supply ship Gaoyouhu from a nearby naval escort task force for the exercise, as confirmed by the Chinese Defense Ministry. The drills, which aim to “enhance military trust and strengthen practical cooperation,” will include simulated strikes on maritime targets, visit-board-search-seizure operations, and search-and-rescue drills.
Iran, for its part, has sent a stealth missile corvette and a patrol ship to participate in the exercise, according to Iranian state media.
