Iran has concluded wide-ranging joint military exercises with Russia and China in waters stretching from the Strait of Hormuz to the northern Indian Ocean, as regional tensions escalate amid explicit US threats of military action against Tehran. Iranian state and regional media reported that the exercises, named Zolfaghar 1400, involved naval, aerial, and ground forces operating across the Strait of Hormuz, the Sea of Oman, and parts of the northern Indian Ocean.
According to sources cited by Al-Jazeera, Iran’s navy will continue maneuvers in the Sea of Oman and the Indian Ocean in the coming days. The drills included forces from the Iranian army, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy, as well as participating units from Russia and China, as part of routine annual exercises. Iran’s Nour News agency reported that additional joint drills involving the three countries are scheduled to take place near the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday.
Ahead of the exercises, Iran issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), warning of live-fire military activity in the airspace surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. According to the notice, military firing activity was conducted between January 27 and 29 within a five-nautical-mile radius. The airspace—from ground level up to 25,000 feet—was designated as restricted and hazardous throughout the duration of the maneuvers. (Read More)
