Iran to hold air defence drill
Iranian officials said an air defences exercise will involve jet fighters, drones and thousands of troops
Thursday November 08 2012
Iran's military is to hold "massive" air defence manoeuvres in the east, starting this weekend.
Farzad Esmaili, head of Iran's air defence headquarters, said the drill will include Iranian jet fighters, drones, air defence systems and about 8,000 troops.
He is quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying that the area of the war games will cover nearly the entire eastern half of Iran. The exercise will start on Saturday and last seven days.
The manoeuvres come amid escalating tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran's suspect nuclear programme, which the West fears is a cover for a pursuit of nuclear weapons. Iran denies the charge, saying the programme is for peaceful purposes only.
