Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 25
By Fatih Karimov – Trend:
Iran's army will hold a large-scale air defense exercise in the country’s southern areas, Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili, commander of Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base, said.
The five-day air defense drill will be launched on Dec. 26 in southern provinces of Hormozgan, Bushehr and Khuzestan, Esmaili said, the state-run IRINN TV reported.
Various units of the army’s air defense base will participate in the military exercise code-named “Modafean-e Aseman-e Velayat 7” (Defenders of Velayat Skies 7), he said, adding that that fighters of Army Air Forces including F-4 Phantoms will also take part in massive drill.
He further said that the Russian-supplied S-300 surface-to-air missile defense system will not be tested in the upcoming drill.
Esmaili added that the system will be tested as soon as it is deployed.
Iran regularly conducts various drills to enhance the defense capabilities of its armed forces and to test modern military tactics and equipment.
The Islamic Republic’s military program has always been a point of concern for the world powers as they often show strong reaction against the country's missile tests, in particular.
But Tehran has repeatedly announced that its military might poses no threat to other countries, reiterating that its defense doctrine is based on deterrence.