Iran army launches naval exercises in Arabian Sea

Iran’s military yesterday launched comprehensive military exercises in the Arabian Sea, with the participation of land, sea and air forces.

Official IRIB quoted an army official  statement as saying that the maneuvers, dubbed “Zolfaghar 99”, would last three days, and that they was taking place on an “area that extends from the east of the Straits of Hormuz to the Sea of Oman and northern Indian Ocean, covering two million square kilometers.”

The maneuvers, the statement added, would focus on “safeguarding transportation routes and testing key weapons systems such as cruise missiles against both naval and on land targets, as well as air to ground and ground to air missiles.”

The military pointed out that a number of American drones were spotted in the area, adding that they had ordered them “to stay away”.

The Iranian exercises come three weeks after joint live-fire drills by the US and UAE forces in the region.

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