TEHRAN – The Army on Sunday staged a massive military exercise in Iran’s southeastern coastal areas and naval zones in the Sea of Oman with the involvement of all of airborne units, special forces, and rapid reaction brigades.

The drill, codenamed Zolfaqar-1400, covers an area of over one million square kilometers southeast of Iran, stretching from the eastern parts of the strategic Strait of Hormuz to the northern tip of the Indian Ocean and parts of the Red Sea, according to Tasnim.

Troops serving in the Army’s infantry, armored units, mechanized regiments, Navy, Air Force, and Air Defense have taken part in the main stage of the exercise.

Rear Admiral Mahmoud Mousavi, the spokesman for the drill, said the tactical and coastal units in the war game have employed various electronic warfare equipment and drones, including different homegrown drones such as Ababil-3, Yasir, Sadeq, Mohajer-4 and Simorgh, besides P3F, RF4, and Boeing 707 aircraft.

Mousavi hailed the sustainability of communications during the drill. He said air defense units confront mock enemy targets.

The spokesman also said the exercise carries a message for the regional countries as a preparation for establishment of peace and friendship on the basis of intra-regional capacities.

History has proven that extra-regional actors favor belligerence and insecurity in the region, Tasnim quoted Mousavi as saying.

In comments at a press conference on Saturday, Deputy Army Chief for Coordination Affairs Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said the drill is aimed at raising the combat and defense capabilities of the Army units in protecting the country’s territorial integrity.

Sayyari also noted that the troops will be demonstrating the Islamic Republic’s power in remote waters during the war game, warning the enemies that any act of aggression against Iran will draw a crushing response from the Army.

The Iranian Armed Forces stage routine military exercises throughout the year.

Iranian military experts and technicians have in recent years made great strides in developing and manufacturing a broad range of equipment, making the armed forces self-sufficient.

Officials have repeatedly underscored that Iran will not hesitate to build up its defense capabilities, emphasizing such abilities are entirely meant for the purpose of defense and will be never subject to negotiations.