Iran Army Ground Forces to hold sophisticated exercises in western regions

The Ground Forces of the Iranian Army will hold a set of sophisticated exercises in the country’s western region, enlisting a vast array of special, airborne, armored, and electronic brigades among other units.

Deputy commander of Operations for the Ground Forces, Brigadier General Karim Chashak announced the information on Sunday, saying the drills would go underway in the Naftshahr region of the western Iranian Kermanshah Province’s Qasr-e Shirin Country “in the coming days.”

He identified the maneuvers as “security, offensive, and mobile exercises, enlisting the [Ground Forces’] 35th Special Forces Brigade, 55th Airborne Brigade, 181st Armored Brigade, Army Aviation, Electronic Warfare Battalions, and drones” among other units.

Chashak defined the goal of the drills as enhancing the forces’ readiness for countering any foreign threats against order and security in the country.

‘Lessons for enemies’

Deputy for Supervision and Field Evaluation of the Islamic Republic’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Brigadier General Morteza Saffari also said such maneuvers bore “salutary lessons” for the country’s enemies.

Such drills served to enhance the Armed Forces' deterrence power, he asserted, noting, "Enemies know that in case of [perpetrating] aggression [against the country], they will face a crushing response from the Armed Forces."

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He said holding the exercises is be one of the important projects that was being advanced by the Armed Forces, adding that the drills were being held annually in culmination of the forces’ specialized training sessions.

He also stated that improvement of the combat readiness of the Armed Forces was one of the important results of holding such exercises, saying, "The exercises of the Armed Forces in the Air Defense, Ground, Naval, and Air Forces are held in a completely specialized manner and with the aim of increasing the readiness and improving the combat capability of all forces."

Iran Army Ground Force launches extensive security, counterterrorism drills

The Iranian Army

Pointing to the Islamic Republic’s superior deterrence power, he said, "The Armed Forces are ready to defend the country’s sacred establishment around the clock."

He, meanwhile, referred to the military threats that were posed to the country by its enemies, noting, "Islam is the culture of not being afraid and being prepared for defense.”

He cited the case of Iranian warriors’ relying on the same Islamic principles to leap to the country’s defense during former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s imposed war of 1980-88 against the Islamic Republic.

“During the Sacred Defense, we also witnessed that when the enemies attacked us, the fighters of Islam rushed to the battlefronts and defended the country and the sacred establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran and did not allow even an inch of the sacred soil of Iran to fall into the hands of the enemies."

According to Saffari, Islamic teachings mandated achievement of “such a level of deterrence in the military field that would prohibit the enemies from daring to act against the Islamic Republic.”

To the country’s neighbors, however, the drills carry a message of friendship and peace, he noted, saying that the Islamic Republic planned on holding joint military exercises with its neighbors too.

The official also said the Islamic Republic reaffirms its capability to ensure the region’s security alongside its neighbors, adding, “There is no need for the presence of extra-regional countries."

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