Xinhua - English

Special report: Iran Nuclear Crisis
Special report: Iran launches five-week military exercise

TEHRAN, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Missile units of the air and naval forces of Iran's Revolutionary Guards launched a two-day drill on Wednesday, the state media reported.

The war games will be conducted in southern and central parts of the Gulf and the Sea of Oman, the official IRNA news agency said.

The airforce launches the exercise dubbed Sa'eqeh (Thunderbolt) to "consolidate the defensive and operational capabilities" of the missile unit, while the navy conducts exercise Raad (Thunder) to "enhance the defensive capabilities" and prepare the naval force's missile unit for any possible action, the report said.

Missile interception and test-fire will be included in the war game, it added.

Last month, the Revolutionary Guards launched a five-day inland war games, in what called a move to examine the fighting capability of the country's two short range missiles.

That drill was coincident with the occasion of the United States' deployment of its second aircraft carrier to the Gulf Region.

Iran has launched several large-scale war games since its nuclear issue came under world spotlight three years ago.

Last November, Iran started a 10-day military exercise dubbed "The Great Prophet 2", during which the Revolutionary Guards tested fired ballistic Shahab-3 missiles with a range of more than 2,000 km.

VIENNA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran's technicians have assembled and installed two uranium-enrichment units at the underground nuclear complex in the central town of Natanz, reported Austrian News Agency (APA), citing western diplomats, on Monday.

Pentagon says U.S. not planning war with Iran

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday that the United States has no plan to go to war with Iran, but is determined to stop Iran's involvement in Iraq.

Merkel: door remains open for Iran to resume negotiations

KUWAIT CITY, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel said here on Tuesday that the door remained open for Iran to resume negotiations and find a way out of the nuclear standoff.