Russia, China, and Iran have dispatched naval vessels to participate in joint military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, Russian presidential aide Nikolay Patrushev announced on Tuesday, February 17, 2026. The drills, part of the ongoing Maritime Security Belt 2026 series hosted by Iran, underscore deepening military coordination among the three nations amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the region.
In an interview with the Russian weekly newspaper Argumenty i Fakty, Patrushev described the deployment as a practical step toward building a “multipolar world order on the oceans” in response to what he termed Western hegemony. He emphasized Russia's intent to leverage the potential of the BRICS grouping, advocating for it to acquire a full-fledged strategic maritime dimension.
Patrushev highlighted recent multinational naval cooperation, noting that the first BRICS naval exercise—dubbed “Will for Peace 2026”—took place in January 2026 in the South Atlantic. That drill involved Russia, China, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa, focusing on coordinating efforts to protect vulnerable trade routes. Participating navies practiced joint actions to safeguard maritime economic activities and shipping lanes.
“The Maritime Security Belt 2026 exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, where Russia, China, and Iran sent their ships, proved to be relevant,” Patrushev stated. The series, initiated by Iran's Navy in 2019, has been held annually (now in its eighth iteration) to enhance maritime security, combat piracy and maritime terrorism, and improve coordinated search-and-rescue operations.
The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman, remains one of the world's most critical chokepoints. Approximately 20–30% of global oil trade and a significant portion of liquefied natural gas pass through it daily, making it a focal point for strategic competition. The exercises occur as regional tensions simmer, including ongoing indirect US-Iran nuclear talks in Geneva, US military deployments in the Gulf, and Iran's recent live-fire drills that temporarily restricted parts of the strait for "security precautions."
Iranian state media, including Tasnim News Agency and Mehr News, confirmed the participation of Russian and Chinese vessels in the upcoming phase of Maritime Security Belt 2026, hosted by Iran in mid-February. The drills aim to test interoperability, maritime readiness, and joint responses to potential threats in the strategic passage.
The announcement aligns with broader efforts by Russia, China, and Iran to strengthen alternative security frameworks outside Western-led structures. Patrushev's comments frame these activities as defensive measures to ensure safe global trade amid perceived vulnerabilities from unilateral actions by Western powers.
While the exercises are officially described as focused on non-combat scenarios like trade protection and counter-piracy, their timing—coinciding with US-Iran diplomatic engagements and heightened naval presence in the region—has drawn attention as a demonstration of coordinated capability among the three nations.
No immediate official reactions from the United States or other Gulf states were reported in connection with Patrushev's statement, though the drills add to ongoing concerns about freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
As the exercises proceed, observers will monitor developments closely given the strait's economic importance and its role in global energy security.
