IRGC Naval Forces will conduct wargames in the Strait of Hormuz in late January. IRGCN Commander Rear Admiral Morteza Saffari told reporters in Tehran that the current condition in the region requires the exercises.
"The sensitive conditions of the Middle East region have multiplied the need for us to be ready to defend the country," Adm. Saffari said.
Saffari added Iran would be trying to send out a message that any aggressors that violate the country's territories will encounter a strong response from the armed forces.
The Iranian army is also scheduled to hold an exercise in late January.
In a related story, Iranian press have widely covered comments by the former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad that the US is preparing an attack on Iran.
"Obama is preparing for a (military) offensive on Iran with the help of his ally, the Israeli regime," IRNA quoted Mohamad as saying.
Mohamad added that the US would introduce "forged evidence" showing Iran aims to "start a nuclear war against the world."
Speaking of forged evidence, read Gareth Porter's latest revelation on the Times' recently disclosed "nuclear trigger" document. Turns out the doc is now described as "an expurgated and retyped version of the original document"!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/LA07Ak04.html
And for the latest "defector" story, this one an alleged IRGC General claimed to be Khamenei's "right hand man", see Laura Rozen's take at:
http://www.politico.com/blogs/laurarozen/0110/Beware_propaganda.html?showall
if the Iranian military manage to close off the Persian Gulf I'm sure it will have a lethal affect on the oil market
ReplyDeleteremember the incident in January 2008 when US naval missile destroyers had an encounter with the IRGC speedboats oil prices raised to $100 a barrel
that will look pretty cheap if they close off the gulf in a defensive manner!