Iran conducts large military exercise near Iraq border
Iran conducts large military exercise near Iraq border.
TEHERAN — Iran’s army has finished a large military exercise by ground forces near the Iraqi border, the official Iranian state news agency IRNA reported Monday. But unlike previous war games in which Iran boasted of weapons advances, the latest maneuvers were largely held under wraps.
The report by the IRNA news agency was the first public word that the maneuvers had been held, and even IRNA’s confirmation came only indirectly. The report was about the death of two military officers in a road accident as they came back from “large” exercises by ground forces.
IRNA gave no further details about the maneuvers.
Iran has been holding regular exercises by the various branches of its military and its elite Revolutionary Guard, considered the strongest fighting force in the country. Usually, Iran’s state media give them extensive coverage of military exercises to tout the country’s strength in the standoff with the United States and its allies over Iran’s disputed nuclear program. In November, air defense exercises were meant to showcase Iran’s capabilities in defending its nuclear facilities from possible attack.
Iran announced two months ago that it would hold war games in December in the southwestern provinces of Khuzestan and Ilam, both next to Iraq. But there had been no announcement that the maneuvers had begun.
IRNA said the two officers who died were returning from maneuvers “in the south,” an apparent reference to the same exercises. It identified the two as Gen. Rahman Forouzandeh , a ground force commander, and his aide, identified only by his rank and family name, Lt. Ordikhani. The report called Forouzandeh a war veteran of Iran-Iraq war in 1980s, saying funeral services will be held for the two on Tuesday in northwestern city of Tabriz where their division is stationed.
It was not clear why the maneuvers were held in secret.
Iran has been working for years to step up the capabilities of its armed forces, at a time when it is locked in a confrontation with the West over its nuclear ambitions. The United States and its allies say Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon, an accusation Iran denies, saying its program is intended only for peaceful purposes.
Both the US and Israel have not ruled out military option against Iran’s controversial nuclear program. Iran also sees the presence of the US forces on its doorsteps in Iraq and Afghanistan as a threat. It regularly asks for evacuation of the US forces from the region.
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WarSclerotic 
December 13, 2010 at 11:15 PM
I`M SURE THE IRANIANS SEE IRAQ AS A GOOD DIRECTION TO GO FORTH WITH AS IT WOULD GIVE THE REVOLUTIONARY GAURDS AND HIZBOLLAH A DIRECT LINK TO SYRIA ACROSS THE MOST EASILY ACCCESSABLE TERRAIN AND ELIMINATE ANOTHER CORRIDOR THAT COULD BE USED TO ATTACK THEM AT THE SAME TIME. THE IRAQI TERRAIN IS PRIME REALESTATE FOR THE IRANIAN WAR MACHINE AND I SEE IT AS A NECESSARY ATTACK WAITING TO HAPPEN AS WELL AS A STAGING PROCESS AND POSSIBLY A DIVERSION TO A DIRECT ATTACK ON ISRAEL TOO BUT NECESSARY TO DESTROY ISRAEL AND SETUP A DEFENSE AGAINST ALL THE AGGRESSIONS FROM SURROUNDING NEIHBORS THAT WOULD SURELY RETALIATE AS THE IRANIANS AND SYRIANS WOULD UNITE TO CLOSE ALL CHANNELS FOR NEGOTIATIONS ON THE NUCLEAR WEAPONS ISSUES TOO. SO I FEEL THEY WOULD ATTACK OUR FORCES IN IRAQ AS WELL AS THE GULF STATES AND ISRAEL AT THE SAME TIME WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO DO SOWITH A PLAN TO TAKEOVER AS WELL WITH THEIR FORCES ALREADY INSTALLED IT WILL HAPPEN TOO.