- NICOSIA - Iran concluded
a military exercise in the Gulf yesterday a week before Iranian President
Mohammed Khatami is scheduled to arrive in Moscow.
-
- Diplomatic sources said Khatami's visit, beginning on
March 12, is expected to pave the way for huge arms deals with Russia.
Khatami will be accompanied by a 100-member delegation and could sign a
defense treaty.
-
- Russian sources said Iran is considering buying diesel-powered
submarines, fighter-jets and anti-aircraft systems. Russian Deputy Prime
Minister Ilya Klebanov said defense issues would be part of a strategic
alliance between Moscow and Teheran. "It is a large and multifaceted
question," Klebanov said. "It cannot be just a matter of a military-technical
cooperation pact. You have to address the entire range of our bilateral
relations."
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- The Victory-9 exercise combined army, air force and marine
units. The maneuvers began on Saturday in the northern end of the Gulf
at Mahshahr. The exercise included the military as well as the Iranian
Revolutionary Guard.
-
- Among the systems tested were communications equipment
as well as Iranian-produced missiles. The exercise was also meant to examine
logistics capability. Frigates and patrol boats were deployed.
-
- Brig. Gen. Jaber Mahdyar was quoted by the official Islamic
Republic News Agency as saying that more than 6,000 soldiers were participating
in the war games. Mahdyar said the exercise aimed to demonstrate Iran's
defense capability as well as the application of new weaponry deployed
in the military.
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- On Sunday, Teheran radio reported that the exercise employed
advanced systems to destroy enemy forces. The radio said the second stage
of the operation has been launched. No other details were given.
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