http://m.aljazeera.com/Index/MiddleEast#/story/2012122862357402782Tehran begins naval drills in oil and gas
shipping route aimed at showcasing its
military capabilities.
Iran has started six days of naval drills in
the Strait of Hormuz aimed at
showcasing its military capabilities in
what is a vital oil and gas shipping
route, the official IRNA news agency
reported.
The manoeuvres began early on Friday,
involving warships, submarines jet
fighters and hovercrafts.
Naval commander Habibollah Sayyari
said on Friday the "Velayat 91" drills
would last until Wednesday across an
area of about one million square km in
the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman
and northern parts of the Indian Ocean,
IRNA said.
Sayyari said the goal of the manoeuvres
were to show "the armed forces' military
capabilities" in defending Iran's borders.
Iran's state TV reported that Tehran
had warned ships to stay away from the
site until January 3.
The drills come as the West increases its
pressure over Iran's nuclear programme.
The West suspects it may be aimed at
producing nuclear weapons, a charge
Iran denies.
Iranian officials have often said Iran
could block the strait - through which
40 percent of the world's sea-borne oil
exports pass - if it came under military
attack over its disputed nuclear
programme.
Iran held a similar 10-day drill last
December and sent a submarine and a
destroyer into the Gulf four months ago
just as US and allied navies were
conducting exercises in the same waters
to practice keeping oil shipping lanes
open.
Sayyari was quoted as saying on
Tuesday that the new drill would test the
navy's missile systems, combat ships,
submarines and patrol and
reconnaissance methods.
A heavy Western naval presence in the
Gulf is meant to deter any attempt to
block the waterway

I used to be one of the people that think the military might of iran is a bit over rated but with their antecedent of going on the offensive at the slightest provocation I am having a rethink....I see Iran as a nation capable of bringing the middle east down with it in terms of an all out conflict...their recent capture of a us drone speaks volumes of their guts and will...