{"id":16815,"date":"2021-03-21T16:08:10","date_gmt":"2021-03-21T16:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2021\/03\/21\/us-belgium-france-and-japan-hold-mideast-naval-exercise\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T18:47:10","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T18:47:10","slug":"us-belgium-france-and-japan-hold-mideast-naval-exercise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/training-sim\/2021\/03\/21\/us-belgium-france-and-japan-hold-mideast-naval-exercise\/","title":{"rendered":"US, Belgium, France and Japan hold Mideast naval exercise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates \u2014 The U.S. Navy said Sunday it will hold a major naval exercise alongside Belgium, France and Japan in the Mideast amid tensions over Iran\u2019s nuclear program in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Group Arabian Sea Warfare Exercise will see ships from the four countries conduct drills in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. Ships involved include the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, as well as the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belgian frigate HNLMS Leopold I and the Japanese destroyer JS Ariake also will take part, as well as aircraft from the four nations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The drill comes as Iran has abandoned all limits of its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers in the wake of then-President Donald Trump\u2019s 2018 decision to unilaterally withdraw from the accord.<\/p>\n\n\n\t