Iran Army, Islamic Revolution Guards Corps to hold joint military drill: Cmdr.

A top commander says the joint military drill between the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) will probably be held in the country’s southeastern parts.

“Our objective is to stage drills in different parts of the country to enhance the capabilities of our units and forces,” Commander of Iran’s Ground Forces Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan said Sunday.

In this way our forces can prepare in the shortest time possible in the time of crises, the Iranian commander said.

Pourdastan added that other Iranian military forces, including Iran’s Air Force, may also participate in the upcoming maneuver.

This is the first joint military drill between the Army and the IRGC since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

In February, the IRGC conducted a military maneuver codenamed Val Fajr in Markazi Desert days after the Army’s air forces wrapped up a four-day exercise codenamed Tharallah near the strategic Persian Gulf region.

In another drill codenamed Hamiyan-e Velayat also in February, IRGC forces practiced tactical commando raid and aerial combat, launched air offensive and defensive operations and carried out heliborne as well as anti-heliborne operations.

In January, IRGC Ground Forces held the Shohaday-e Vahdat military drills in the eastern province of Khorasan Razavi.

Iran maintains that the maneuvers are defensive in nature and meant to convey a message of peace and friendship to regional countries.