IRGC, Army Begin Drill in Southern Waters
TEHRAN (Dispatches) – Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and army carried out a joint aerial military drill in the Persian Gulf on Friday in what official media said indicated the "pounding reply” that awaited the country’s enemies.
Tehran has suggested in recent weeks that it could take military action in the Persian Gulf - the passageway for nearly a third of all oil traded by sea - to block it in retaliation for U.S. sanctions intended to halt its sales of crude.
"In addition to a show of strength, this ceremony is a message of peace and friendship for friendly and neighboring countries,” Colonel Yousef Safipour, the deputy commander of the army for public relations said.
"And if the enemies and arrogant powers have an eye on the borders and land of Islamic Iran they will receive a pounding reply in the fraction of a second.”
Mirage, F-4 and Sukhoi-22 jets took part in the exercise on Friday, according to IRNA. Five logistics and combat helicopters are also taking part in the exercise over the Persian Gulf waters and the Sea of Oman.
The Islamic Republic has a large naval military drill, including approximately 600 naval vessels, planned on Saturday, IRNA reported.
The exercise is part of annual manifestations on the anniversary of the start of the eight-year war Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein launched against Iran in 1980.
Separately, a prominent Iranian cleric said Friday that the time had come for the occupying regime of Israel to say goodbye.
"Mr. Netanyahu, you and your intelligence services know well that the time to say goodbye has arrived and what position of strength the resistance of Hezbollah and the people of Gaza are in,” Hassan Abu-Torabi Fard, the temporary Friday prayers leader in Tehran, said.
Tehran has suggested in recent weeks that it could take military action in the Persian Gulf - the passageway for nearly a third of all oil traded by sea - to block it in retaliation for U.S. sanctions intended to halt its sales of crude.
"In addition to a show of strength, this ceremony is a message of peace and friendship for friendly and neighboring countries,” Colonel Yousef Safipour, the deputy commander of the army for public relations said.
"And if the enemies and arrogant powers have an eye on the borders and land of Islamic Iran they will receive a pounding reply in the fraction of a second.”
Mirage, F-4 and Sukhoi-22 jets took part in the exercise on Friday, according to IRNA. Five logistics and combat helicopters are also taking part in the exercise over the Persian Gulf waters and the Sea of Oman.
The Islamic Republic has a large naval military drill, including approximately 600 naval vessels, planned on Saturday, IRNA reported.
The exercise is part of annual manifestations on the anniversary of the start of the eight-year war Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein launched against Iran in 1980.
Separately, a prominent Iranian cleric said Friday that the time had come for the occupying regime of Israel to say goodbye.
"Mr. Netanyahu, you and your intelligence services know well that the time to say goodbye has arrived and what position of strength the resistance of Hezbollah and the people of Gaza are in,” Hassan Abu-Torabi Fard, the temporary Friday prayers leader in Tehran, said.