Iranian media is conveying boasts from the Iranian regime over a total of eight planned military exercises set to take place this year. Included in the count is a “massive drill” to be held in June:
On the sidelines of the meeting with foreign military attaches held on the occasion of National Army Day, General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said: “Army’s first exercise, ‘Baytol Moghadas 25’ for the year [1392] will start June 24, 2013, in Isfahan General Zone. He explained the purpose of holding this drill as to implement tactics that have been taught by different (NEZAJA) Special Force units’ instructors and said: “In this drill our Forces are ready to enter into asymmetric warfare.”
He also added that “There would be armored units, artillery and Air force units participating in the drill for a week and they will use live ammunitions.” Stating the there have been eight drill scheduled for the year, NEZAJA commander, said: “The second drill of the Ground Forces is in the second quarter, for Armored Division and will be held in Southeast of the country.”
Iran is also promising new fighter jets and new cruise missiles.
Pourdastan of course issued the perfunctory threats against Israel – “the Zionist regime’s leaders are either unfamiliar with themselves or they are not aware of Iran’s destructive and deterrent power.” – but Iranian land forces are unlikely to intimidate the Jewish state, with which it does not share a border.
There’s a reason, however, why Iran’s Arab neighbors have become increasing vocal in expressing concerns over Iranian aggression in the region, and have especially expressed fears that Iranian nuclear weapons acquisition would allow Iran to interfere in their internal affairs with impunity. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have both made the case for attacking Iran’s nuclear installations, and last month Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal declared that open-ended negotiations with Iran would allow the Islamic republic to develop a nuclear weapon.
Diplomats subsequently announced that Tehran hadupgraded one of its top nuclear facilities with advanced technology.
Last week Secretary of State John Kerry revealed that Iran was behind a February rocket and mortar attack on a camp in Iraq. Six people were killed and more than 50 injured when several dozen mortar shells fell on the refugee camp, which houses 3,000 members of the exiled People’s Mujahedeen of Iran (MEK). That the Iranian attack was on the sovereign territory of an Arab state did not go unnoticed.
[Photo: M-ATF / Wiki Commons]
