Iran showcased war games on Friday consisting of newly developed, quick redeployment forces specialized in fighting enemy units, according to state media, amid increased antagonism with the United States.
Around 12,000 elite troops, fighter jets, drones and armored vehicles were included in the two-day exercises, located in the central province of Isfahan, reported state television.
Installed by transport planes and 60 helicopters, commandos hunted artificial armed troops, while an armored battalion blocked “enemy” units attempting to retreat, according to state media.
“In these war games, we will showcase two important developments: a special-forces rapid deployment battalion and a highly mobile offensive armored battalion,” Gen. Kioumars Heydari, head of the regular army’s ground forces, told state television.
This development comes as the U.S. Treasury Department issued fresh sanctions on Iran last week, including against the Iran-backed Zaynabiyoun Brigade and the Fatemiyoun Division, both based in Syria, providing “material support” to the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“Treasury’s targeting of Iran-backed militias and other foreign proxies is part of our ongoing pressure campaign to shut down the illicit networks the regime uses to export terrorism and unrest across the globe,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin in a statement.
