Iranian officials and media rallied this week behind the nation’s navy as it begins 10 days of war games aimed to show off its “regional dominance,” reports
CNSNews.com.
The maneuvers will take place across an expanse between the gulfs of Aden and Oman, and involve ships and aircraft testing military equipment that include drones, missiles and electronic weapons.
The Iranian Students News Agency (ISNA) claimed the show of force was merely a demonstration of the country’s defensive capabilities.
“Iran has made important breakthroughs in its defense sector and attained self-sufficiency in producing important military systems over the past years,” ISNA reported. “Iran has repeatedly clarified that its military might is merely based on the nation’s defense doctrine of deterrence and poses no threat to other countries.”
The Fars news agency, meanwhile, quoted Iranian parliament member and security official Zohreh Elahian, who sounded a somewhat more ominous tone in her assessment of the maneuvers, saying they “send an important message to the whole world, especially the colonialist powers.”
“These war games are a warning to the Western countries about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” said Elahian. “If any threat is posed to Iran, the Islamic Republic is capable of closing the Strait of Hormuz.”
As much as 40 percent of the world’s oil supply is shipped through this strait.
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