REPORT: Iran begins large scale air defense drills

Iran launched military drills across half the country on Monday, warning it would act against aggressors less than a week after Washington accused Iranian warplanes of firing on a US drone.     

According to General Farzad Esmaili, head of Iran's air defense headquarters, who spoke earlier to the country's official news agency, the drill includes Iranian jet fighters, drones, air defense systems and about 8,000 troops.

Esmaili has been quoted by the official IRNA news agency as saying that the area of the war games will cover nearly the entire eastern half of Iran. The exercise is to last seven days.

Last week, the US Pentagon said Iranian planes opened fire on an unarmed US drone over international waters on Nov. 1. Iran said it had repelled "an enemy's unmanned aircraft" violating its airspace.

The maneuvers come amid escalating tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran's suspect nuclear program, which the West fears is a cover for a pursuit of nuclear weapons. Iran denies the charge, saying the program is for peaceful purposes only.


AP/REUTERS

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