Iran, Armenia conduct joint military drills
Iran and Armenia concluded two days of joint military exercises along their shared border.
The drill, conducted on both sides of the border, involved operational units from the Ground Forces of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps and the Armenian Army.
Iran said the aim of the drills is to strengthen security at the shared border and fight terrorist groups in the area.
The joint drill took place in the Norduz border area, which is located in Iran’s northwestern East Azerbaijan Province.
Brigadier General Valiollah Ma’dani, deputy commander for operations of Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC)’s Ground Forces, said on Wednesday that, “the joint exercise is a proactive measure to ensure the combat readiness of our forces, confront terrorism, and contribute to sustainable peace in the region”.
Ma’dani noted that the primary objective of the joint drill was to strengthen the security of the common border. “Given the sensitive geopolitical position of this area, the strategic importance of our border with Armenia cannot be overstated,” he said.
Light and heavy weapons were used in the military exercises. Meanwhile, special forces displayed their sniper skills and practiced artillery fire support during the drills.
Armenia’s borders with neighboring Azerbaijan and Turkey have been closed for more than three decades, giving its mountainous frontier with Iran an outsized economic significance.