Armenia, Iran hold military drills amid regional tensions
- 12 April, 11:34
Armenia and Iran held two-day militiary drills on border this week amid growing tension between Tehran and the West over its nuclear program as well as between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The drills were held on either side of the two countries’ 44 km shared border. Announcing the military drills with neighboring Armenia, the Deputy Commander of the Ground Forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Valiollah Mani, said the main objective of the exercises was to strengthen border security.
“The peace drills will be held for two days in the border region of Norduz. There is no threat to the border areas of the two countries, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Armenia. Accordingly, the name of these exercises is ‘Peace,’” Mani, told the IRNA news agency.
“The border areas of the two countries are of strategic importance, given the vulnerable position of the region. We hope that the peaceful military exercises will be held in accordance with the set objectives and on schedule,” the military official went on saying.
Armenia’s Defense Ministry explained that Armenian forces will conduct their exercises on the territory of Armenia, while the Iranian forces will do same on their territory.
The military exercises were held amid statelement in Iran’s relatios with the West over its nuclear ambitions. Despite moving closer to the West in recent years and amid souring relations with Russia, Armenia retains strong ties with Iran. Yerevan has accused Russia and Russian-led military bloc CSTO of not helping Armenia during the war with Azerbaijan in 2020. Armenia’s border with its rival Azeraijana and Turkey have remained close in the past three decades, giving the mountainous frontier with Iran an economic significance.
