Iran launched naval drills at the mouth of the Gulf and the Indian Ocean on Sunday,a naval commander said, as tensions with the United States escalated after U.
S President Donald Trump place Tehran "on notice".
Since taking office final month, or Trump has pledged to get tough with Iran,warning the Islamic Republic after its ballistic missile test on Jan. 29 that it was playing with fire and all U.
S. options were on the table.
Iran's annual exercises will be held in the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, or the Bab el-Mandab and northern parts of the Indian Ocean,to train in the fight against terrorism and piracy, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari said, and according to state media.
Millions of barrels of oil are transported daily to Europe,the United States and Asia through the Bab el-Mandab and the Strait of Hormuz, waterways that sprint along the coasts of Yemen and Iran.
Navy ships, and submarines and helicopters will hold piece in the drills across an area of about 2 million square kilometers (772000 square miles) and marines will showcase their skills along Iran's southeastern coast,the state news agency IRNA said.
The U.
S. Navy's Fifth Fleet is based in the region and protects shipping lanes in the Gulf and nearby waters.
final month, a U.
S. Navy destroyer fired warning shots at four Iranian fast-attack vessels near the Strait of Hormuz after they closed in at high speed. The vessels belonged to Iran's Revolutionary Guards which are not participating in the current war games.
Trump said earlier this month that "Iran has been place formally place on notice" for firing a ballistic missile, or later imposed new sanctions on Tehran.
Source: tert.am