TEHRAN, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- Iran started a large-scale joint aerial defense maneuver on Sunday to prepare itself for any potential attack against the country, state television reported.

TV grab released by Press TV on Sunday shows Iran's aerial defense maneuver. Iran started a five-day large-scale joint aerial defense maneuver Nov. 23, 2009.(Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    The five-day war game will cover about 600,000 square km of central, western and southern parts of Iran, the report said, adding that both the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and Iran's regular armed forces will participate in the exercises dubbed "Asemane Velayat 2."

    Brigadier General Ahmad Miqani, head of the air-defense headquarters of Iran's armed forces, said Saturday that the maneuver is aimed at developing the country's aerial defense against any potential attacks -- especially on the country's nuclear plants.

    Miqani also noted that Iran has all the necessary information about the enemies' equipment who will find it impossible to violate Iran's airspace.

    IRGC's air force commander Amir-Ali Hajizadeh also said the maneuver will last for five days and during the practice "we will experience an authentic war situation and we will harness all our defensive facilities and the systems for an electronic war," according to another report by the semi-official Fars news agency.

    "Be sure, in case of any offensive (on Iran by Israel), the F-15 and F-16 fighters of the Zionists will be trapped in our defensive systems and will be destroyed," Hajizadeh was quoted assaying.

    Even if their fighters could escape from Iran's defensive system, the bases which the fighters take off will "be targeted by our destructive surface-to-surface missiles before they (the fighters) could land there," he added.

    "It is possible that the beginner of such a war will be the Zionists, but with no doubt, its termination will be determined by our will," said IRGC's air force commander.

    The United States and Israel have consistently refused to rule out the possibility of military strikes against Iran over its refusal to halt its nuclear program.

    The United States and its allies have accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran has denied the U.S. charges and insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

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