Iran Launches Large-Scale War Games
Pastor Dale Morgan
Iran Launches Large-Scale War Games*
By ALI AKBAR DAREINI
The Associated Press
Monday, February 19, 2007; 3:34 AM
TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran began its largest war games in almost a year
Monday, just two days ahead of a U.N. Security Council deadline for Iran
to halt uranium enrichment or face further economic sanctions.
The elite Revolutionary Guards began three days of ground maneuvers,
state-run media reported Monday.
State television said the exercise is the biggest since last March and
is taking place in 16 of Iran's 30 provinces. The broadcast said an
estimated 60,000 troops are participating in the maneuvers.
"All weapons possessed by the Guards' ground force ... including new
weapons, will be tested during the war games," Gen. Mohammad Reza
Zahedi, commander of the Guards' ground force, was quoted by the
official Islamic Republic News Agency as saying Monday.
The Revolutionary Guards is an elite military corps with more than
200,000 members and its own naval and air forces. It is independent of
the regular armed forces and controlled directly by the supreme leader.
It oversees vital interests such as oil and natural gas installations
and the nation's missile arsenal.
In January, the Guards held three days of war games.
The Security Council approved a resolution against Iran on Dec. 23 that
imposed economic sanctions and gave Iran 60 days to halt uranium
enrichment, otherwise it will consider additional measures.
As tensions mount over Iran's nuclear standoff with the West, the United
States and Iran have pursued an escalating series of military moves,
with Washington sending more aircraft carrier battle groups to the
region and Iran responding with more frequent maneuvers.
The United States and several of its Western allies believe that Iran is
using its nuclear program to produce an atomic weapon _ charges Iran
denies, saying its aim is to generate electricity.
Iran has said it will never give up its right under the Nuclear
Nonproliferation Treaty to enrich uranium and produce nuclear fuel.
Enriched to a low level, uranium is used to produce nuclear fuel but
further enrichment makes it suitable for use in building an atomic bomb.