Iran Will Hold Maneuvers In Gulf

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The New York Sun

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran unexpectedly announced yesterday that it would be holding military maneuvers in the Gulf this week, only days after American-led navies held exercises in the same waterway.

Iranian state television quoted the head of the Revolutionary Guards, General Yahya Rahim Safavi, as saying the 10-day maneuvers, named “Great Prophet,” would take place in the Gulf and the Sea of Oman, beginning today.

“The war games are aimed at demonstrating the deterrent power of the guards against possible threats,” General Safavi said.

General Safavi stressed the drills were not a threat to neighboring countries, saying: “Our neighbors are our friends. The guards just want to prove that they ready to resist in any threatening situation.”

His announcement came two days after American-led warships finished a two-day maneuver in the Gulf — an exercise that Iran described as “adventurist.”

Iran said the six-nation drills would not improve security in the Gulf waters, through which about 20% of the world’s oil passes. It also called on Gulf nations to set up their own regional security arrangements.

The American-led maneuvers focused on surveillance, with warships tracking a ship suspected of carrying components of illegal weapons. The nations that took part were Australia, Bahrain, Britain, France, Italy, and America. Iran regularly holds large maneuvers, often using them to test weapons developed by its arms industry.

Yesterday, General Safavi told state TV: “The guard’s air force will test fire the Shahab-3 [missile], equipped with cluster warhead, in the war game.”

The Shahab-3 missile is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and has a range of more than 1,242.8 miles. It can reach Israel and American forces in the Middle East.

Meanwhile, Russia yesterday defended Moscow’s deal to supply air defense missiles to Iran, saying they were purely defensive weapons with a limited range.

“I wish to underline that these systems cannot be used in offensive operations,” Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov told Russia Today television in an interview broadcast early yesterday. “Secondly, they have a limited use as they are capable of protecting a small part of the Iranian territory.”


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