Russia, China, and Iran have sent ships to participate in joint military exercises to be held in the Strait of Hormuz soon, Russian presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev has announced.

“The ‘Maritime Security Zone 2026’ military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, where Russia, China, and Iran have sent their ships, have now become contemporary,” Patrushev said in an interview with the Argumenty i Fakty newspaper.

Iran, Russia, and China will hold their eighth joint naval exercises in the northern Indian Ocean at the end of February, Tasnim News Agency had reported earlier.

It had added that these exercises are aimed at increasing the security of global maritime trade in the area.