The Iranian army began, at dawn today, Friday, a military exercise called "Zulfiqar 1401", with the participation of naval, air and land forces.
Brigadier General Ali Reza Sheikh said that these maneuvers are taking place in the southeastern regions of the country and east of the Strait of Hormuz to the northern Indian Ocean.
He explained that the participating units include infantry, air defense forces and naval forces, noting that the maneuvers come in accordance with the army's annual training program with the aim of enhancing combat readiness and supporting security in the region, as he put it.
At the same time, Admiral Habibullah Sayyari said - in a statement to the Islamic Republic of Iran News Agency (IRNA) - that these maneuvers are taking place with the participation of submarines and drones and include "training in operations to collect information about the attacking forces."
The state-affiliated English-language Press TV also quoted Sayyari as saying that foreign forces must leave "so that the countries of the region can establish stability and peace in their surroundings."