Iran war's game

The naval exercises, scheduled to start on Saturday and last 10 days, are Iran's first in more than a year. They appeared intended to demonstrate the country's military capabilities as it faces increased isolation over its suspect nuclear energy program.

The exercises are bound to put Iranian warships in proximity with vessels of the United States Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain, which patrols some of the same waters, including the Strait of Hormuz. About e one-third of the world's oil tanker shipments pass through the strait, which the United States Energy Information Administration has called "the world's most important oil chokepoint."

Oil prices rose on Thursday in reaction to the news from Iran and worries about new violence and political instability in Iraq. At the New York Mercantile Exchange, the benchmark oil contract for February delivery was trading at $99.40 a barrel at midday, up from $98.67 on Wednesday.

Rear Adm. Habibibollah Sayyari, the commander of Iran's navy, told a news conference in Tehran that the excerises would cover a vast area from the east side of the strait in the Gulf of Oman, south and west through the Arabian Sea to the Gulf of Aden near the Horn of Africa.

Iran's semiofficial Fars News Agency quoted him as telling reporters that the exercises were intended to show "Iran's military prowess and defense capabilities in the international waters, convey a message of peace and friendship to regional countries, and test the newest military equipment."

Admiral Sayyari was also quoted as saying "the newest missile systems and torpedoes will be employed in the maneuvers," and that "destroyers, missile-launching vessels, logistic vessels, drones and coastal missiles will also be tested."

Lt. Rebecca Rebarich, a spokeswoman for the Fifth Fleet in Manama, Bahrain, said in an e-mailed message that the fleet command was aware of the reports from Iran.

"The U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet interaction with the regular Iranian Navy continues to be within the standards of maritime practice, routine and professional," she said.

Iran periodically conducts military drills and missile tests, but the scale and timing of these naval exercises are noteworthy, coming at a time when Iran feels increasingly besieged over its nuclear program, which it insists is purely peaceful.

Last month the United Nations nuclear monitoring agency issued a report raising the possibility that Iran has been working on a nuclear weapon and missile delivery system. The United States, European Union and Israel have said that a nuclear-armed Iran is unacceptable, and Israel in particular has hinted at a pre-emptive military strike at suspected nuclear targets in Iran.

The European Union has said it is considering an embargo on Iran's principal export, oil. Iranian officials dismissed the threat, but warned of unspecified retaliation if an embargo were imposed.

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• Iran's war game
• Iran's Navy United States Navy

[heywoodjublome1]

@alaradi010 lol good luck

[agapitov]

all of you and your mothers will suck zionist dicks HAHAHAHAHAH

[danyhalaby]

usa...usa...usa.....hahahahaha­ha........iam sorry to tell the americans that their country is like the baloon, one little scratch and they will collapse....its really different guys when you fight for some cash or some oil than when you fight for your true faith and for gods sake

[TheAzeri1977]

@alaradi010 LONG LIVE US AND IRAN FUCK ZIONIST!

[alaradi010]

Long live Iran

death to USA

[Hafez21hafez21]

@chinhhhhh Bring it on Rambo!

[chinhhhhh]

@farshad94abedi without western technology what would you be able to use that oil for? With westerm technological advancements you wouldn't know what to do with that oil... don't u worry soon enough our technology will surpass the need for your oil then you can go back to herding goats.

[ssgtd6152]

Bring it on Bitches The U.S. Marines are runnig out of Hadjis to kill!

[nurkholis34]

practice make perfect

[Pacman27turn28]

Usa warship atleast will last 1 days in persian gulf. Lets send 3 millions basij in persian gulf to hit us warship , bring it on bye