Iran conducted military exercises, the third in a week, in which it tested new "suicide" drones and ballistic missiles, while Washington imposed a new package of sanctions days before the departure of outgoing President Donald Trump.

During the 15th edition of the "Great Prophet's Maneuvers" that took place on Friday in a desert located in the center of the country in light of tensions between Iran and the United States, the Revolutionary Guards launched drones described as suicide bombers on various targets.

Iranian television broadcasted footage showing a squadron of drones, then each one hitting a target and detonating it.

Commenting on the footage, the television said that those targets were "virtual enemy bases."

The Associated Press said that one of the targets struck by a drone resembles a missile battery, noting that US forces and their allies' forces in the region rely on Patriot missiles for their defense operations.

The agency added that the drones tested by the Revolutionary Guards today are similar to those used in attacks on two factories belonging to "Aramco" in Abqaiq Governorate and the migration of Khurais in eastern Saudi Arabia in 2019, and caused the disruption of half of the Kingdom's production of crude oil.

At the time, the Yemeni Houthi group claimed responsibility for the attacks, while Tehran denied accusations that it was behind them.

New missiles.


The maneuvers of the Great Messenger in its 15th edition included the launch of a new generation of surface-to-surface missiles, according to the Iranian "Sepah News" website.

The site said that the exercises included a drone attack on a missile defense system, followed by the launch of a barrage of "Zulfikar", "Zelzal" and "Dezful" missiles at specific targets.

The Revolutionary Guard confirmed that the new missiles are equipped with separate warheads, and that they can be directed from the air, indicating that they are able to penetrate the enemy's anti-missile defenses, as he put it.

Iranian state television broadcast a video clip showing the launching of a number of missiles in the desert area where the exercises took place, in the presence of the Commander-in-Chief of the Revolutionary Guard, Major General Hossein Salami, and the Commander of the Revolutionary Guards' Air and Space Forces, Brigadier Amir Ali Hajizadeh.

Hajizadeh said that these maneuvers demonstrated the "new strength" of the Revolutionary Guard and its capabilities, while Salami said that "the message from this maneuver is to show Iran's strength and firm will to defend our sovereignty and our system."

The exercises carried out by the Revolutionary Guards are the third in less than two weeks, and were preceded by naval maneuvers in the Sea of ​​Oman on Wednesday and Thursday, and drone maneuvers carried out by the Iranian army on the 5th and 6th of this month.

New sanctions


On the other hand, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced today the imposition of new sanctions on entities in Iran for activities related to the proliferation of conventional weapons.

Pompeo said that the sanctions include the Iranian maritime, air and aviation industries organizations, for their participation in activities that contribute to the manufacture of lethal military equipment for the army and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, as he put it.

Pompeo called on all countries to prohibit the sale, supply, or transfer of weapons or related materials to or from Iran.

The US secretary said that his country will continue to work with its partners in the international community to pressure the Iranian regime to change its behavior.

Earlier today, Reuters quoted informed sources as saying that Washington intends to impose new sanctions on Iran today, linked to the metals and conventional weapons sector.