Iran, Russia, China conduct joint military exercise

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/iran-russia-china-conduct-joint-military-exercise-150349
NewsWorldDecember 27 2019 14:30:30
Iran, Russia, China conduct joint military exercise
ANKARA-Anadolu Agency
Iran, Russia, China conduct joint military exercise
Iran, Russia and China began joint military exercise in the Arabian Sea and north of the Indian Ocean, according to an Iranian news agency on Dec. 27.

Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency reported that the military exercise by the navies of Iran, Russia, and China will cover an area of 17,000 kilometers and it will last four days.

Speaking about the drill, dubbed Marine Security Belt, the deputy commander of the Iranian Navy Admiral Gholamreza Tahani explained the purpose of the exercise as “to strengthen security and its foundations in the region”.

“Since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, it is the first time that the Islamic Republic of Iran holds a combined exercise with the world's two major naval powers at such a level,” Tasnim quoted Tahani, who is also the spokesman for the Iran-Russia-China joint naval drills.
“This process will continue in the coming years,” he added.
Tensions have been escalating in the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea since the U.S. began re-implementing sanctions on Iran after President Donald Trump withdrew from a nuclear pact that world powers struck with Iran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in relief from economic sanctions.

In June, two oil tankers were attacked in the region. Washington held Tehran responsible for the attacks, an accusation denied by Iran.

Analysts believe that the possibility of the U.S. resorting to military action against Iran has grown after drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities in September.

The U.S. and European Union separately decided to form coalitions for the safety of navigation in the region. Japan also announced a plan to deploy troops in the region.




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Turkey maneuver could block Israel's access to the sea
Analysis: Israel - which is 99% reliant on its seaports for import and export of goods - must take note of new reality taking hold in Mediterranean, as Ankara seeks to take advantage of gaps in UN's 1982 Maritime Boundaries agreement
Shaul Chorev,Dr. Beni Shpeinner|
Published: 12.28.19 , 01:14
Turkey and Libya recently signed an agreement on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean including the designation of an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
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Turkey could be in a position to detain, inspect, and investigate any vessel crossing the designated area.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, right, and Libyan leader Fayez al Sarraj (Photo: AP)
For Israel, which is 99% reliant on the sea for import and export of goods, this is an unacceptable position. 
According to press reports earlier this month, the Turkish navy barred an Israeli research expedition from completing its work in the EEZ of Cyprus which was coordinated and licensed by the government.
The Turkish naval vessel demanded the Israeli ship leave the area claiming it is in exclusive Turkish territorial waters. 
Is this a sign of things to come? Time will tell.
Two of Israel's wars (1956 Sinai campaign and 1967 Six-Day War) broke out over navigation rights. Israel must take note of a new reality taking hold in the Mediterranean.
It must regard Turkey's actions as a substantial strategic threat and consider what it may do to respond to it. 
The agreement signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fayez al-Sarraj, chairman of the Presidential Council of Libya, has many geopolitical implications.
This EEZ designation essentially carved up much of the energy-rich Eastern Mediterranean between Turkey and Libya, prompting a wave of international condemnations first and foremost from Greece, Egypt, and Cyprus, who may be directly or indirectly affected.
After years of deliberations, the 1982 United Nations convention was signed regulating maritime boundaries and defining "Exclusive Economic Zones."
These EEZs came as a result of advancements in deep-sea exploration technologies, the discovery of natural resources on the seabed and new extraction technologies for these natural resources.