TEHRAN – An Iranian lawmaker has said that the military exercises staged by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in northwest Iran on the border with Azerbaijan were a “decisive response” to Israel.

The lawmaker, Mohammad Safaei, told Iran’s state news agency IRNA that the IRGC drills were a response to Israel’s influence in the Republic of Azerbaijan and Central Asia as well as plannings for some “conspiracies” against Iran. 

Referring to Israel’s presence in Azerbaijan, the lawmaker said, “The Zionists are seeking to undermine the Islamic Republic’s influence in Central Asia through this [presence]. But they will never succeed.”

He underlined that Iran won’t accept any change in the international borders in the South Caucasus region. “Changing the borders runs counters to the interests of the Islamic Republic. Therefore, the Islamic Republic vehemently opposes this change. The message of this exercise to the ill-wishers of the system is that any action harming the Islamic Republic’s interests will result in a heavy price for the enemies.”

With the involvement of several units, the Ground Force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has initiated a massive military drill in Iran's northwestern borders.

During the exercise, the IRGC practiced how to bridge the Aras River on the border with the Republic of Azerbaijan.

The drills, codenamed “Mighty Iran,” kicked off on Monday with the participation of several IRGC units in the presence of senior IRGC officials, including the commander-in-chief of the military force, General Hossein Salami. 

During the exercises, the IRGC Ground Forces practiced how to set up pontoon bridges and cross the Aras River on the border with the Republic of Azerbaijan.

IRGC Ground Force Commander Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour has unveiled plans for heliborne and parachute jump operations, nocturnal strikes, missions involving combat helicopters as well as combat and suicide drones, and seizing the routes and heights controlled by the hypothetical enemy, Tasnim News reported.

Another lawmaker has said that the Islamic Republic will not accept any change in the international borders of the South Caucasus region, underlining that Iran will hold military exercises anywhere it deems necessary.

The lawmaker, Hassan Hemmati, who is a member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, commented on the latest drills staged by the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) in northwest Iran.

“This exercise was a show of force whose message is peace and friendship for the neighboring countries and a decisive response to any threat for the enemies,” Hemmati told IRNA. 

He added, “The events of the northern borders of the country are important to us, and wherever necessary, we hold drills to defend the rights and security of the country.”

 Underlining that Iran won’t accept any change in the international borders in the region, the lawmaker said, “No international law accepts border changes in the countries of the region; we believe that every country has its dignity and position and the territorial integrity of all countries in the region must be preserved.”