TEHRAN, Jan. 20 (MNA) – Iran’s Army Ground Force Spokesman for Eghtedar (Power)-99 Drill said that making enemies regret any threat against powerful Iran is the message of large-scaled “Eghtedar-99” Drill.

Brigadier General Kioumars Shafari made the remarks on the sidelines of the military exercise on Wed. and reiterated that Iran’s Army Ground Force is ready to respond to any threat and invasion of enemies against the country with its utmost power and in the shortest time possible.

He expounded on the operations conducted on the first day of the large-scale drill and added, “In the beginning of the military exercise, a large number of rapid action forces landed on the target positions from the sky by conducting joint airborne operations and after loading heavy equipment of the 55th Airborne Brigade, paratroopers destroyed the intended target using combat personnel carriers with the support of rocket launchers.”

Rapid movement by air through transport planes of the Islamic Republic from distant places to the drill area was the salient specification of this large-scale operation which was carried out by the forces of 55th Airborne Brigade of Iran’s Army Ground Force with very precise planning and in the shortest time, he stated.

During the operation, divers from the 65th Special Forces Rapid Reaction Brigade infiltrated surface and subsurface positions through free fall and destroyed designated targets.

Following this operation, helicopters equipped with night vision systems, missiles, and rocket launchers as well as offensive artillery will carry out the planned operation in support of this operation, the brigadier general continued.

He pointed to the message of this large-scale drill and added, “The message of Eghtedar-99 Drill to friend countries is the message of peace and for enemies is that if there is aggression or threat in their minds, we will respond to any aggression with authority and in the shortest possible time and will make them regret what they have done.”

The Iranian Army Ground Force started a war game, codenamed Eghtedar (Power)-99, on Markan shores, in the country’s southeastern regions, on Tuesday.

The Iranian military forces have been holding massive maneuvers in the past days to test the country’s latest military equipment and to enhance its preparedness in the face of potential threats in simulated conditions of a real war.

MA/5126493