Iran launches air defence drills over two-thirds of its airspace

Iran’s Armed Forces have launched a large-scale military exercise covering two-thirds of Iranian airspace with the aim of testing capabilities in the event of an attack on sensitive facilities.

Iranian state TV said the manoeuvres are taking place with the participation of the air defence divisions of the army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

It quoted Brigadier General Qadir Rahimzadeh as saying that the manoeuvres are taking place on an area of more than one million square metres of Iranian territory, which is equivalent to two-thirds of the country’s airspace.

He added that the manoeuvres involve fighters, drones, radars, electronic warfare equipment and communications equipment.

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Spokesman Second Brigadier General Amir said: “Formation of secure layers of air defence in order to protect the Islamic Republic of Iran’s airspace, besides comprehensive defence of critical centres of the country are among the objectives of the exercise. Air defence units and operational forces of the Army and the IRGC are skillfully and intelligently undertaking the tasks round the clock under the operational auspices and control of the country’s joint air defence base.”

“In this exercise, the Seal of the Prophets Air Defence Base tested the vital, sensitive and important centres in the country, using the strength and local capabilities of the country’s manpower and equipment and creating different layers of air and land defence.

Last month, the Iranian Ministry of Defence said it had thwarted a drone attack on a military facility in the city of Isfahan.