Iran's northwestern, western, and central regions saw on Tuesday morning the beginning of the joint air defense drills by the country's Army and Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC).

"Modafean Aseman Velayat 1401" (Guardians of 'Velayat' Sky 1401), a massive military drill, is being conducted by the Army and IRGC's air defense divisions, using domestically-produced air defense missile systems, electronic warfare equipment, communication systems, radars, and an integrated air defense network. 

According to Second Brigadier General Amir Abbas Farajpour, Spokesperson for the "Modafean Aseman Velayat 1401" military exercises, some of the objectives of these drills include strengthening defenses against enemy threats to the nation's skies and comprehensive defense of sensitive and important centers of the nation.

The initial phase of the simulation involved the deployment of air defense systems, with specific attention paid to their mobility and agility, Farajpour said.

The manned and unmanned aircraft of the Army and IRGC carried out reconnaissance sorties over the area before detection and combat systems conducted tactical and defensive operations against the mock enemy aircraft, he explained, adding that the steps were taken in compliance with the principles of passive defense in order to mislead the mock enemy. The drills cover two-thirds of the Iranian airspace, he added.

The Iranian Armed Forces often conduct military drills to improve their readiness and combat capability.

The exercises serve as a warning to the Islamic Republic's adversaries against any aggression.

In October 2021, there was "Modafean Aseman Velayat 1400."

Last month, a military exercise in the Gulf witnessed the launch of various missiles, Tasnim reported.

The Iranian news agency cited IRGC Navy Commander, Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri, as saying that a wide range of weapons and equipment were used during the exercise, including naval cruise missile systems, drones dropping bombs with pinpoint accuracy, unmanned smart submarine systems, and helicopter-fired rockets.

Tangsiri highlighted that IRGC Navy commandoes carried out heliborne operations during the drill.

The IRGC Navy chief further noted that his troops have conducted defensive drills off the beaches of Farsi Island and have used smart submarine weapons to strike and destroy the hypothetical enemy's naval and coastal sites in collaboration with Army Air Defense and Air Force units.

Iranian Brigadier General Kioumars Heidari stressed earlier in January that the Iranian Army's Ground Force is in the "most appropriate" state to carry out drone operations and is capable of countering any kind of threat.

Press TV cited Heidari as saying that the Iranian Army's Ground Force has managed to use new tactics and techniques, particularly in the fields of drones and aviation, during the latest Zolfaghar 1401 joint military drills, which were held by the end of December, involving forces from the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz to the northern tip of the Indian Ocean.

Deputy Chief of the Iranian Army for Coordination Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari stated that infantry and armored troops, as well as mechanized regiments of the Army's Ground Force, air defense systems, subsurface, surface, and aerial vessels and Navy rangers, took part in the war games. He also noted that air Force strategic bombers will provide logistical support during the exercises.

The large-scale maneuvers also seem to be intended to improve planning abilities and conduct, direct, and evaluate joint operations, in addition to synergizing the Army's four main divisions' defense power.

The drills, according to Sayyari, also aim to improve the skills of the Army's commanders and personnel in using combat units, the Khatam Al-Anbiya Air Defense Base, drones, and electronic and cyber warfare systems.

The drills came after the United States said it was preparing "alternatives" in case the Vienna talks to revive the Iranian nuclear program collapse.

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