Basij Units to Start Massive Wargames in Northern Iran Tomorrow

Iranian Basij (volunteer) forces plan to stage massive wargames in the country’s Northern province of Semnan on Thursday, an Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) commander announced on Wednesday.

Speaking to FNA, Commander of Semnan’s Corps General Ali Ostadhosseini said that 10,000 rapid reaction forces of Basij will stage the ‘Towards Beitol-Moqaddas (Jerusalem)’ drills on Thursday and Friday (November 29-30) throughout the province.

He added that 45 Basij and IRGC battalions will participate in the drills.

Ostadhosseini said operating units will exercise “urban defense, relief and rescue operations, defending sensitive sites, checkpoint operation, and ambush and counter-ambush tactics”.

Earlier this month, Commander of Iran’s Basij (volunteer) force Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi announced that “rapid reaction battalions” of the Basij are due to carry out a series of exercises in four Iranian provinces.

In October, Iranian Basij forces staged similar exercises in the country’s Western province of Kermanshah.

Ten thousand Basij forces were present in the drills held in Tangeh Konesh region.

The exercises in Kermanshah came a few days after the IRGC and Basij staged three-day-long ‘Towards Beitol-Moqaddas’ drills in the capital city of Tehran.

Commander of Tehran’s Corps General Mohsen Kazzemeini said 150 IRGC battalions participated in the drills, adding that the exercises were conducted in response to the recent soft and security threats against Iran.