On 21 December, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) tested and showcased the capabilities of some of their latest military equipment and vessels during military drills taking place off the country’s southern coast.

The exercises marked the second day of the five-day military drills that kicked off on 20 December. The drills, code-named Payambar-e Azam 17 (The Great Prophet), involve all the different units of the IRGC.

Some of the military equipment tested included cruise and ballistic missiles that were fired over the Persian Gulf to test their accuracy, and all successfully hit stationary and moving targets with an accuracy of 100 percent.

The IRGC also showcased a new type of drone that can strike two targets at the same time. The naval unit of the IRGC launched anti-ship cruise missiles that were able to hit and destroy targets in the Persian Gulf.

The exercises aim to enhance the capabilities of IRGC combat units to defend the country from external aggressors. Speaking at the beginning of the drills on 20 December, the IRGC deputy commander for operations, Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan, said that the war games will be based on some of the most advanced tactics in hybrid warfare.

General Nilforoushan stated that ”the military drills carry the message of defending and safeguarding the national security, as well as peace, friendship and comfort for neighbors. Our defense doctrine rests upon security and might, as well as active and smart deterrence in the Persian Gulf region.”

The drills come amid revelations that the minister in charge of the military affairs of the Israeli occupation traveled to the US in early December to discuss the possibility of launching a military attack on Iran ”if the Vienna talks fail.”

The Israeli occupation, which has always been the biggest beneficiary of any tension in the region, has publicly shown its opposition to the Vienna negotiations between Tehran and the signatories to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

The talks aim at reviving the Iran nuclear deal, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

The deal collapsed in 2018 when the US unilaterally withdrew from the deal and imposed severe sanctions on Iran.