Iran says it is conducting an air defense drill across half its airspace

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The Iranian Islamic regime has announced it is beginning a massive air defense drill across half of Iran’s airspace this week, the Jerusalem Post (JP) reports. Set to start on Wednesday, the drill follows the expiration on October 18 of the ten-year long UN arms embargo on Iran, and renewed Iranian interest in upgrading its military and defense technology.

The Iranian news outlet Tasnim reported that the purpose of the drill is “improving the combat readiness and increasing the air defense capability of the Armed Forces and is one of the goals of holding a joint specialized air defense exercise for the 99th Sky Defenders of the provinces.”

Coming at time when Azerbaijan is successfully using drones to attack Armenian forces, the Iranian drill will include practice in blocking drones and enemy fighter planes.

A network-based operation will coordinate air defense units and will also carry out electronic warfare and visual intelligence systems to track “threats” during the drill, JP reports.

The UN arms embargo on Iran expired earlier this month in accordance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) – the 2015 Iran deal negotiated by the Obama administration and signed by world powers. President Trump unilaterally pulled the US out of the deal in 2018 and no longer offers financial incentives to Iran to halt the development of a nuclear weapon. Now in apparent breach of the terms of the deal, Iran says it wants other world powers to step up and offer financial incentives to make up for those lost to US sanctions.

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