Iran’s armed forces to unveil new missile, drone cities during military drills

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) is set to unveil new underground missile and drone facilities during its ongoing large-scale military exercises, the IRGC spokesperson General Ali Mohammad Naeini announced.

Spokesperson Naeini provided details on the “Payambar-e Azam (The Great Prophet) 19” war games and other planned operations at a press conference on January 6, Caliber.Az reports citing Iranian media.

During these drills, the IRGC Aerospace Force will introduce “missile and drone cities” as part of its capabilities. The facilities will include an underground city designed for missile storage and another structure to accommodate naval vessels, located in the southern region of Iran. Additionally, a new generation of the IRGC’s “unique drones” will be unveiled.

General Naeini also revealed that the IRGC Navy will hold a separate war game in the Persian Gulf from January 18-23. A significant exercise will take place on January 11, involving 300 combat vessels conducting smart traffic control operations in the Strait of Hormuz.

On January 27, the IRGC will host its largest-ever naval parade, showcasing approximately 2,000 military and civilian vessels. Among the highlights will be the participation of two new warships, named after martyrs "Bahman Baqeri" and "Rais Ali Delvari," which will be integrated into the IRGC Navy’s fleet.

In addition to these operations, a major exercise involving 110,000 Basij forces will take place on January 10 in Tehran, further demonstrating the scale of the IRGC's military readiness.

“Iran has been fully prepared since long ago for big and complicated battles on any scale,” General Naeini stated, emphasizing the country’s preparedness to confront diverse security and cultural challenges with the support of its endogenous and people-based power.

Highlighting Iran's strategic capabilities, the spokesperson referred to the operations True Promise I and II, executed against Israel, which showcased a small fraction of the nation’s power. “The enemy is aware that the skies of the occupied territories are clear and defenseless for us. We can act (against Israel) on a magnitude multiple times bigger and with greater accuracy, speed, and destruction. The power and rate of production of our weapons and missiles would increase day by day in terms of quantity, skill, and design,” General Naeini remarked.

The spokesperson also underscored the “complete consistency” within Iran’s governance regarding its response to Israel. He emphasized that there are no barriers to launching new operations, including the potential True Promise III mission against Israel, which could be executed at the appropriate time.

By Vafa Guliyeva