Iran is demonstrating its military might while supposedly conveying a message of peace. The region’s countries are not fooled.
Is Iran preparing for a fight? The Iranian army has just launched a massive, six-day training exercise, displaying its military prowess.
Iran’s’ Press TV reports that the drill, code-named “Mohammad Rasoulallah” (Mohammad, the Messenger of God), will cover a huge area of 2.2 million square kilometers stretching from the east of the Strait of Hormuz all the way to the Indian Ocean in the north.
AP quotes General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan, chief of the army’s ground forces, saying that the maneuvers were aimed at “transferring experiences” to a younger generations of Iranian soldiers.
The drill, the largest of its kind in the region, incorporates ground, air and naval units, including submarines.
Fars news agency reports that part of the exercise included the integration of a new air-defense system.
Nothing Says “Peace” Like a Massive Iranian Military Drill
The Second-in-Command of the Iranian Army, Brigadier General Abdolrahim Mousavi, stated that “boosting the defense capabilities” of the country is one of the objectives of the maneuvers, Press TV reports.
The Iranian commander said that the country’s army wants to convey a message of peace and friendship to neighboring states through this military drill.
This “message of peace” stands in stark contrast to the Iranian leaders’ statements that they intend to annihilate Israel.
Press TV further reports that the Islamic Republic has frequently announced that its military might poses no threat to other countries, stating that its defense doctrine is based on deterrence.
Arab gulf countries hear this message loud and clear and have established a joint task force earlier in December to face the threat posed by the Islamic Shi’ite regime to other Sunni countries. The six-state Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) which includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Oman, has decided to establish a unified military command, based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and a regional police force, modeled after Interpol.
In the meantime, Iran’s nuclear capabilities and development plans remain ambiguous, as Israel awaits worryingly for the outcome of the nuclear talks between the West and Iran, fearing that the Obama administration will strike a bad deal with the terror-supporting regime.
By: United with Israel Staff
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