WASHINGTON, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The Pentagon will conduct a tactical exercise targeting a possible crisis involving Iran in July, The USA Today reported Wednesday.

    The exercise, to be staged at the National Defense University, aims to help senior U.S. policymakers, military leaders and lawmakers to explore various options in the scenario of an Iraniancrisis, according to the report.

    Pentagon officials said the July 18 exercise will develop scenarios based on things that are "fairly current in the real world, but the schedule is set way in advance," and it is designedto "teach and educate people about the complexity of decisions in formulating policy."

    The exercise comes amid growing tensions between Iran and the United States over the Iranian nuclear program and recent media reports of increased U.S. military planning against Iran. Enditem