IRGC holds final stage of missile drill

The final phase of the exercises, codenamed Eqtedar-e-Velayat, saw ballistic missiles fired from silo-based launchers in different locations across the country on Tuesday.

The maneuvers are aimed at displaying Iran’s “deterrence power” and the country’s “full readiness to confront all kinds of threats against the Revolution, establishment and territorial integrity,” the IRGC said.

IRGC commander Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari and commander of the IRGC Aerospace Division Brigadier General Amirali Hajizadeh oversaw parts of the drills.

Last October, Iran successfully test-fired its precision-guided long-range Emad missile, sparking an uproar among US politicians.

In January, the US Department of the Treasury imposed new sanctions against Iranian citizens and companies over the country’s ballistic missile program.

Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Hossein Dehqan has asserted that the Emad missile is a conventional weapon.

Last December, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif defended Iran’s right to carry out missile tests, saying none of Iranian missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

The Islamic Republic has repeatedly said that its military might poses no threat to other countries, reiterating that its defense doctrine is merely based on deterrence.