Iran to conduct military exercises in Gulf of Oman

TEHRAN: Iran´s military will conduct naval drills on Saturday in the Gulf of Oman and northern Indian Ocean, a commander told state television.

“The joint military exercise Zolfaghar 1403 will begin on Saturday (today) on the Makran coast, the Sea of Oman and the northern Indian Ocean,” Habibollah Sayyari, the Iranian army´s deputy coordinator, said on Friday.

With United States President Donald Trump´s return to the White House in January, Tehran has stepped up its displays of force through large-scale military exercises, unveiling new equipment and showcasing underground military bases.

Iran has also been signalling to Western countries, particularly the United States, that it is ready to resume talks over its nuclear programme, a source of tension for decades. Saturday´s exercises have the “objective of strengthening defence and deterrence capabilities against any land, air and sea threat,” Sayyari added.