Iran launches large-scale war game along southern coasts: state TV

A missile is launched during the fifth day of the six-day naval drill dubbed Velayat 91 from the coastline of the sea of Oman in southern Iran on Jan. 1, 2013. (Xinhua/Irna News Agency/Mohammadreza Alimadadi)

TEHRAN, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) staged a large-scale war game, codenamed "the Great Prophet 17," along the southern coasts of the country on Monday, state TV reported.

The exercise, to be held for five days, involves IRGC units such as the aerospace force and the cyber-electronic division, Abbas Nilforoushan, the IRGC's deputy chief of operations and spokesman for the drill, was quoted by Press TV as saying.

According to the general, a series of military systems and weapons recently delivered to the IRGC will be brought into action during the war game.

"The military exercise is meant to increase the preparedness of the IRGC combat units," Nilforoushan said.

"The military drills carry the message of defending and safeguarding the national security," he added.

Meanwhile, Gholam Ali Rashid, another IRGC senior commander, seriously warned Isreal and the United States about any threats or mischief against nuclear facilities in Iran, after Isreal threatened to launch military attacks on Iran's nuclear program during rounds of nuclear talks.

"If such threats are carried out, Iran's armed forces will immediately and decisively attack all centers, bases, routes, and spaces used for the aggression," Rashid said.