Iran’s Revolutionary Guards hold military drills in Tehran as ceasefire teeters

Tehran: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has held military exercises in the capital Tehran to prepare for any conflict, state media reported on Tuesday, after US President Donald Trump warned that a ceasefire in the Middle East war was on the verge of collapse.

According to state television, the drills involved the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the ideological arm of the Iranian military, as well as the Basij, a paramilitary force affiliated with the Guard.

“Increasing the ability to fight against any movement of the American-Zionist enemy was one of the goals and scenarios implemented in this successfully conducted exercise,” Tehran Revolutionary Guard commander Brigadier General Hassan Hassanzadeh said in a statement to state television. he said.

Click here for live updates on the US, Israel-Iran war

The war, which began more than two months ago with a US-Israeli attack on Iran, has spread to the Middle East, damaging the global economy and affecting hundreds of millions around the world.

Iran has blocked the Strait of Hormuz, a vital exit route from the Gulf for oil, gas and fertilizer, in a bid to gain economic influence over the United States and its allies.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy is blockading Iran’s ports, occasionally disabling or diverting ships traveling to and from those ports.