Pentagon to monitor Russia-China-Iran naval drills

The United States is monitoring joint Russia-China-Iran naval drills in the Indian Ocean and will cooperate with allies to ensure the freedom of navigation, Pentagon spokesperson Sean Robertson said.

"We are monitoring it and will continue to work with our partners and allies to ensure freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in international waterways," Sputnik cite him as saying.

The joint exercise dubbed Marine Security Belt is scheduled to start on 27 December. The combat squadron of Russia's Baltic Fleet left for Iran upon completing the Russian-Indian Indra-2019 naval drills earlier in December.