Iran has nearly doubled its annual winter military exercises this year, a move widely seen as an effort to project strength amid mounting regional tensions and shifting geopolitical currents following a series of Israeli military strikes and the election of Donald J. Trump as president in the United States, The Financial Times reported Monday.
Officials on Trump’s transition team have pledged to reinstate the former president’s “maximum pressure” strategy against Iran in response to its nuclear program. In his first term, Trump withdrew from a nuclear agreement with Tehran and reimposed sanctions.
As part of the ongoing ‘Great Prophet 19’ exercises, elite IRGC units have been deploying on a large scale to primary designated zones in the western regions of the country. pic.twitter.com/21KTrXayvB
— Iran Military (@IRIran_Military) January 5, 2025
Brigadier General Ali Mohammad Naeini, the spokesman for Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, announced on Monday that approximately 30 land, air, and maritime drills had commenced across six western and southern provinces. These exercises, he said, would continue through mid-March.
The operations involve both the Revolutionary Guards, Iran’s elite ideological military force, and the country’s conventional army, highlighting a rare instance of joint coordination between the two branches. General Naeini described the exercises as a response to “new threats,” though he stopped short of offering specific details.
The Iranian army large-scale military exercises pic.twitter.com/9sshqrw2fp
— Sprinter Observer (@SprinterObserve) October 27, 2023
The expanded drills underscore Tehran’s efforts to demonstrate military readiness at a time when its influence in the region faces increasing challenges, not only from Israel’s targeted operations but also from the unpredictable dynamics surrounding the new U.S. administration.
Naeini also said the IRGC Aerospace Force will unveil new underground facilities accommodating modern missiles and drones during large-scale war games. He stated that during the drills, the IRGC Aerospace Force will unveil “missile and drone cities,” and an underground city storing missiles and another facility accommodating vessels will be unveiled in the south of Iran.
He revealed that around 300 combat vessels will take part in an exercise on January 11 for smart traffic control at the Strait of Hormuz. On January 27, the largest naval parade will be held with the participation of around 2,000 military and civilian vessels.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister has warned Israel against the consequences of launching further airstrikes on the Islamic Republic, signaling a potential escalation in regional hostilities if such actions continue.
