TEHRAN - The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)’s Ground Force has put a new upgraded combat tank dubbed Karrar into service on the third day of a massive military drill underway in southern Iran.

The drill, code-named the Great Prophet 17, included a showcase of Iran’s newest homegrown arms and equipment. Various forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) began the military drill along the southern coastlines of the country on Monday. 

In a press briefing on Monday, Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, the IRGC’s deputy chief of operations and spokesman for the drills, announced that various IRGC units such as the aerospace force and the cyber-electronic division would participate in the exercise.

On Tuesday, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami, accompanied by a number of senior generals, paid a visit to the location of the drill.

The drill featured real-time firing of smart bombs, ballistic and cruise missiles targeting fixed and mobile targets. In addition, combat drones dropped bombs with pinpoint accuracy and Su-22 warplanes bombarded mock enemy targets in close air support (CAS) operation.

On Wednesday, the Karrar tank was operationalized during the exercise.  Karrar is an upgraded version of the T-72m tanks that come into service for the first time. 

The version of Karrar used by the IRGC Ground Force is equipped with a camouflage system that provides concealment against thermal infrared radar detection, according to Tasnim. 

It is also furnished with an electro-optical fire control system, laser rangefinders, and a ballistic computer.

The ongoing war game covers the coastlines of the southern provinces of Hormozgan, Bushehr and Khuzestan.

During the drill, the IRGC forces also extensively used combat drones with upgraded capabilities.

IRGC Ground Force Commander Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour said the assault and combat drones in possession of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) are capable of targeting any place and destroying any target.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of Payambar-e Azam 17 (The Great Prophet), the general highlighted the major advances in the military drones used by his forces.

The IRGC’s tactical doctrine has changed and been updated proportional to the new threats, he noted, according to Tasnim.

Hailing the production of homegrown drones with advanced technologies, the commander said, “Our assault and combat drones can target any spot deemed necessary, in a way that hitting and detonating any target has become possible with such a tool and after a process in which such aircraft have developed and been equipped.”

He also noted that the IRGC’s technologies used for electronic warfare have improved quantitatively and qualitatively.

The drill came amid Israeli threats against Iran. Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has said that he ordered the Israeli army to prepare for a military attack on Iran. Other Israeli intelligence, political and military officials have echoed the same threat. An Iranian security official has told Nour News, a media outlet close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, that relative progress made in the Vienna talks could reinforce Israel’s motivation to make “malicious moves.”