Ynet:

Iran conducts 4-day air defense drill

Exercise in east Iran aimed at 'heightening level of preparedness amid possible threats to airspace, nuclear centers'
Dudi Cohen

The Iranian army was set to launch an air defense drill Friday evening simulating an attack on the country's nuclear facilities, the Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

According to the regime's mouthpiece, the four-day drill will be held in eastern Iran and stress "the characteristics of the Islamic Republic's defense doctrine in the framework of the heightened air defense alert level."

The military exercise comes just six days after a blast at an army base outside Tehran left several members of the Revolutionary Guard dead, including a senior officer who was a key figure in Iran's missile program. Some western media outlets claimed Israel was behind the explosion.

Blast at Iranian army base (Photo: AP)

The report said the drill will include the use of "missile systems, advanced anti-aircraft artillery and various radar systems, as well as "tactical maneuvers aimed at increasing the level of preparedness amid possible threats to the Islamic homeland's airspace, particularly with regards to the country's...nuclear centers."

Last June the Revolutionary Guard conducted an extensive drill in northwest Iran, during which surface-to-surface missiles were launched.

The past few weeks have seen a stream of leaks from Israel regarding the possibility of a military strike on Iran, this after an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report said Tehran has been working toward building a nuclear weapon since 2003 despite sanctions imposed by the international community.

Israel recently test-launched a ballistic missile and conducted an aerial drill in Italy with the participation of IDF fighter pilots. The IDF also held a home front drill simulating a missile attack on the greater Tel Aviv area – a realistic scenario in case of an attack on Iran's nuclear sites.

Iran tends to conduct high-profile military exercises once every few months to showcase the country's technological and military innovations.

Meanwhile, governors of the UN nuclear watchdog approved a resolution on Friday voicing "increasing concern" about Iran's atomic work, cranking up international pressure on Tehran after a UN report said it appeared to have worked on designing an atom bomb.

The 35-nation policy-making body of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted the text by a clear majority, with 32 states voting for and 2 against.