Iranian military forces launched a series of “massive military drills” across nine provinces on Wednesday following an order by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to state media reports.
The drills, codenamed “Towards Jerusalem,” will continue over the coming days and throughout the rest of the year.
At least three battalions of Iran’s “fast reaction” Basij Force participated in the drills, which come as Western nations and Iran try to finalize a deal aimed at halting the country’s contested nuclear program.
A lieutenant commander of one of the volunteer fighting battalions said that the drills are meant to show off Iran’s ability to confront enemies at key points across the country, according to Iran’s state-run Fars News Agency.
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Additional fighting brigades will enter the war games over the next few days and at other points throughout the year, according to Karimi.
State-run media published multiple pictures of the armed Iranian forces battling through explosions and taking enemy forces hostage.
The “Towards Jerusalem” military drills began on the same day that Iran dispatched a destroyer, helicopter carrier warship, and heavy submarine to East Asian waters.
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Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei threatened to crush Iran’s enemies during a Wednesday address to some 50,000 fighters.
Khamenei singled out Israel in particular, calling it a scourge on the region.
“Supporting the miserable Zionist regime … will be a source of defamation for the Europeans and of course the French nation should find a remedy for it,” Khamenei was quoted as saying by Fars.
He went on to tell “arrogant powers” in the world that “instead of threatening other countries,” they should “go and deal with your wretched economic conditions and think of you debts.”
While talks in Geneva over Iran’s nuclear program continue, the country’s military forces have begun to unveil a host of new advanced weapons.
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) unveiled a domestically produced anti-cruise missile weapons system earlier this week.
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The 23mm Gatling cannon is reportedly capable of firing 900 shots per minute at incoming missiles. It joins a series of other air defense systems recently deployed by Tehran.
The Iranian military also released an unmanned drone that is reportedly capable of flying for 30-hours straight and that would have the ability to enter Israeli air space.
Full article: Iran Launches ‘Massive’ War Drills — Drills codenamed “Towards Jerusalem” (Washington Free Beacon)
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