Special report: Iran launches five-week military exercise

Iran's Revolutionary Guards fire a Shahab 3 missile during a war game southeast of Tehran, Nov. 2, 2006. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    TEHRAN, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Monday tested some new weapons during the ongoing military exercises, including new automatic cannons and rocket launchers, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported.

    "The range of new cannons and rockets tested today is between 75 km and 120 km, this is the first time a new generation of automatic cannons with such range have been tested successfully," Brigadier General Ali Fazli, spokesman of the war games, was quoted as saying.

    Iran started a new round of 10-day military maneuvers dubbed "The Great Prophet 2" Thursday, during which the Revolutionary Guards also test fired ballistic Shahab-3 missiles with a range of more than 2,000 km.

    Chief of the Revolutionary Guards Yahya Rahim Safavi has said the foremost goal of the maneuvers was to show Iran's firm determination to defend the country against any possible threats.

    Iran's maneuver was carried out shortly after the U.S.-led naval forces staged a two-day maneuver in the Gulf waters aimed at blocking smuggling of nuclear weaponry material and arms proliferation.

    Iran's military commanders have termed the drills as "a propaganda and political maneuver without military value", but denied there were any connections between Iran's exercises and the U.S. maneuvers.

    This is the third round of military exercise in Iran this year. The Islamic Republic in August launched a large-scale military maneuver named "Zolfaghar Blow" and staged "The Great Prophet 1" drill in April, during which Iran said that it tested advanced weapons including missiles and torpedoes. ¡¡

Iran fires off ballistic missiles in military maneuver

    TEHRAN, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- Iran on Thursday launched several types of missiles at the start of a large-scale military maneuvers, including the Shahab-3 ballistic missiles with a range of more than 2,000 km, the state television reported. >>