Iran drill warning to enemies, no threat to neighbors: Commander

A senior Iranian commander says the recent military drill by the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces warns enemies against any possible attack against the country’s soil but conveys a message of friendship to regional countries.

“The most important message of the drill (Ja’far Tayyar) for our neighbors and friends in the region is peace and friendship and security can only be achieved by regional countries,” Commander of the Iranian Army’s Ground Forces Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan said on Tuesday.

“The drill also carries an important message for those governments that have grown in their mind the smallest idea of threatening or attacking the Islamic Republic of Iran’s soil, and that is the demonstration of power, solidarity and unity among the armed forces [of the country],” he added.

The three-day Ja’far Tayyar drill opened in Iran’s South Khorasan province on Monday with the purpose of maintaining the preparedness and promoting the combat capability of the units stationed in the region.

Pourdastan said that all the objectives set in the drill have successfully been achieved, adding that to demonstrate the strength, unity, solidarity and coordination between different forces of the army, a military lineup was arranged for the drill, in which the air forces, defense forces and heliborne troops of the army entered the operation to support the ground forces.

Regarding a joint military maneuver by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Force and the army, the senior commander said the drill is the manifestation of a new defensive and tactical approach by the armed forces of the country.

Pourdastan said last month that the joint drill would 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,” he added.

The drill would be the first joint military maneuver between the Army and the IRGC since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.