‘New generation of smart weapons’: Iran Army to launch massive joint drills in southern waters

Iran's Army is set to launch massive joint Zolfaghar 1403 drills on Saturday as the country is bolstering its growing defensive capabilities.

The main phase of the drills would showcase “part of” the combat capabilities of the Army’s Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy, and Air Defense Force as well as the country’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, deputy chief of the Army for Coordination, and the exercises’ commander, said on Friday.

The headquarters is tasked with planning and coordinating joint military operations within the Iranian Armed Forces.

The maneuvers would take place across the strategic Makran coastline in southern Iran, the Sea of Oman, and the northern side of the Indian Ocean, extending to the 10-degree latitude, under the slogan "Sustainable Security and Power," he noted.

‘Testing new smart weapons, technologies’

The commander revealed that the event will feature advanced military tactics and a host of new weaponry developed by the Armed Forces.

A key aspect of this year’s drills is testing Iran’s latest developments in smart and precision-guided munitions, he announced.

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According to Sayyari, the exercises would include trialing of new weapons, such as intelligent, accurate, and surgical strike missiles, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The drills would also test the readiness of cutting-edge technologies, such as cyber warfare, electronic warfare, and emerging technologies that could redefine future battlefields, he said.

“The new generation of smart weapons created by Iran’s Armed Forces will be showcased in this exercise,” Sayyari emphasized. “We are testing weapons that are more precise and technologically advanced than anything we’ve used before. This represents the ingenuity and creativity of the young generation in our military.”

Shift toward youths’ involvement, innovation

The official also highlighted the critical role of Iran’s younger generation in innovating and leading this year's drills.

"The exercises are seen as an opportunity for the younger generation within the Armed Forces to apply new tactics and strategies in a real-world operational environment," he remarked.

Sayyari explained that annual drills like this were being used to integrate new weapons and military technologies into the Army’s arsenal, demonstrating the Islamic Republic’s growing defense capabilities.

"Today, a knowledge-based movement has been carried out at the Army level, and we have moved towards emerging technologies that will create new battlefields for us, so that we will be able to counter any weapon that has new technologies. We will also demonstrate superior capabilities compared to these technologies," he noted.

In light of past experiences, existing threats, and a forward-looking approach towards monitoring future threats, the exercises are “completely different” from previous drills in terms of the tactics and weapons that are deployed, the commander added.

“The creativity and innovation in executing these large-scale exercises at the level of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Army is entirely different and will be showcased. Our young forces will apply their creativity and innovation to prove that they are capable of enhancing the defense capabilities and increasing the country's deterrence power."

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‘Coordination and strategic readiness’

Sayyari stressed the significance of seamless cooperation among the Air Force, Air Defense Force, Navy, and other defense forces in carrying out complex operations.

He stated that the exercises would highlight the “best possible coordination” to ensure the highest levels of readiness and strategic cohesion among the forces.

“We must achieve the best coordination and synchronization between all military units to guarantee success in these exercises,” he said.

Warning to Iran’s enemies

“These exercises are designed to enhance our defensive and deterrent capabilities in response to any potential land, air, or maritime threats,” Sayyari stated.

“Any adversary that thinks it can harm our territorial integrity or interests in these domains will undoubtedly face heavy consequences,” he commented.

“Enemies should know that if they make any mistakes, our Armed Forces, including the Army, the IRGC (Islamic Revolution Guards Corps), the Police, and the Ministry of Defense, are fully ready to stand firm and defeat any threat,” he said, stressing that the Islamic Republic would not hesitate to act in its defense.

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