Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Start Drills To Control Hormuz Strait Ahead Of Talks With U.S. (Videos)

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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) kicked off on February 16 drills in the strategic Hormuz Strait, a day prior to renewed nuclear talks with the United States.

The semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported that the combined, live, and targeted “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz” drills will be conducted by the IRGC Navy under the supervision, control, and field monitoring of the guard’s Commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour.

The main objectives of the war game include assessing the operational readiness of the IRGC Navy, reviewing support plans and scenarios for reciprocal military action by the the guards in the face of potential security and military threats in the Strait of Hormuz, and making intelligent use of the geopolitical advantages of Iran in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, according to the news agency.

The drills take place as Tehran and Washington ready for a new round of talks in Geneva on February 17, mediated by Oman.

The two countries resumed discussions on February 6 in the Omani capital of Muscat, their first since diplomacy broke down last June during the 12-day war, which saw Israel and the United States strike Iranian nuclear facilities.

In recent weeks, the U.S. amassed a large naval force in the Middle East, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and its strike group. A second carrier strike group led by the the USS Gerald R. Ford is right now on its way to the region.

Recent reports indicate that the U.S. is preparing for sustained, weeks-long operations against Iran, if no agreement is reached.

The previous round of talks was limited to the nuclear issue, and the upcoming round will be the same. The U.S. and Israel have, however, repeatedly called for discussing the Islamic Republic’s missile program and regional influence. Tehran has so far refused. This goes to show that both sides are so far apart.

Iran has vowed to respond to any attack by the U.S., going as far as threatening to close the Hormuz Strait more than once.

The Strait of Hormuz is crucial to the global energy market. Approximately one-fifth of the world’s daily oil consumption and a significant portion of liquefied natural gas transit through this narrow waterway.

The Islamic Republic has the means to shut down the strategic waterway. Iranian naval forces deploy mines, launch anti-ship missiles from coastal defenses and speedboats, raid vessels from helicopters and even send its submarines on hunt-and-kill missions.

The closure of the strait would have a devastating impact on the global energy market. Iran itself would be among the most affected. Nevertheless, in case of an all-out war with the U.S. and Israel, this would not be the worst option for Tehran.

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