Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 11
By Rahim Zamanov - Trend:
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani said on Feb. 11 that the council never halted any military or missile drill, Iran's Mehr News Agency reported.
"Some false information has been given to the MPs. I talked to them and clarified the issue," Shamkhani said.
Iran's Fars News Agency reported on Feb. 9 that Iranian MPs issued a notification on President Hassan Rouhani's lack of support for holding military and missile drill.
According to Fars, 23 MPs signed the letter.
The lawmakers have accused President Rouhani of halting a scheduled missile exercise. They say the Supreme National Security Council, headed by the president, stopped the annual exercise by not approving its budget.
In a separate letter, the lawmakers accused Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif of preventing foreign experts to assist Iran with its missile technology, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported. Hard-liners are at odds with Rouhani and Zarif over their policy of outreach with the West.
The Commander of the Iranian Army Ground Force Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan said on Jan. 28 that the country's army is preparing to launch eight huge military drills, including a cyber drill, Iran's State TV IRIB reported.
He didn't mention the exact location for the drills, but said that the headquarters of ground forces are spread in eastern, western and coastal parts of the country. He also said that ground forces are agile and ready for asymmetric warfare.
In addition, Pourdastan said that the military activities, movements, the arrival and exit of navies and activation of their headquarters are under full supervision of Iran's Army.
Edited by C.N.